In the Blood
by A Rose By Any Other Name
Summary: COMPLETE. HGSS. Hermione's searching for a cure to one of the wizarding world's most deadly afflictions. But so is Severus Snape. The results are unexpected... to say the least
1. Cure

**A/N So here it is… my pathetic attempts at a Hermione/Snape fic.  And honestly, please don't review this if all you are going to say is "HG/SS pairings are a) wrong, b) sick, c) OOC, or d) disgusting."  Yes, thankyou, I know many people think all of that.  If you want my arguments with regard to all of the above, feel free to email me. I love a good debate!  I wrote this with a bit of fluff in mind, but the plot took over my fingers, and what is left is basically angst.  Not nearly as much fluff as I had hoped for, wanted, would have liked, planned to include, even, but going back now that I've finished the whole story would ruin it, so you'll get it how it is.  I also have to apologise for my atrocious German in this chapter… yes, it's bad, and if anybody can speak German and correct my probably rather obvious mistakes, _please_ tell me so I can change them.  I don't own anything that J K Rowling does.  That having been said, go and read part one!!  R/R!**

**~Stef**

_~*~*~_

Hermione stared at the potion simmering gently over the fire.  She felt like screaming with frustration.  She nearly had it!  She was so close!  What could she be missing?  

With resignation, she stood up.  She would have to find Professor Snape.  It would mean sharing her discovery, and she would only get partial credit, of course, but she had no choice.  This potion was driving her crazy with frustration!

Hermione walked out of the room she was using and appeared in the Gryffindor Common room.  At least this time she had her own room to brew her potion in, and didn't have to use a bathroom.  The absence of Moaning Murtle was a great relief.  She was heading to the portrait hole when Ron and Harry blocked her way.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Harry asked, worry thick in his voice.  "You're cutting yourself off…"

"Stop it!"  Hermione said crossly.  "I'm fine.  I'm working on a project, that's all.  I'm fine!"

"Hermione…" Ron began, but was interrupted.  

"Give me a break!  I'm coming to Hogsmeade this weekend, aren't I?  I'm busy!  Please Ron, Harry, I'm fine.  Honestly."

The pair of seventh-year boys looked resigned, but their worry was slightly dissipated.  "Okay, look, just be careful, okay?"  Ron said, in a different tone of voice.

"I will," Hermione replied briskly, "but I've got to go now."  Her voice brooked no arguments, and Harry and Ron moved aside reluctantly.  Hermione continued on her way to Snape, summing up her courage.  She would need all of it.  She knocked briskly on the door to Snape's office, sending a prayer to any gods that might exist and be listening.  

"What is it?  Come in!" Snape barked from inside.  Hermione felt like fleeing, but she pushed the door open and entered.   

"Miss Granger?  To what do I owe this pleasure?"  He was, as usual, sarcastic.  It was also very obvious that he did not want to be disturbed.

"I'm working of a potion of my own creation, sir," Hermione started, but Snape interrupted her.  

"Indeed.  I have no doubt you are proceeding admirably.  Why, pray, come to me, unless to gloat?"

"It's a potion to cure vampirism, professor, but I'm stuck and I thought…"

Snape stood up, a look of anger on his face.  "That potion has nothing to do with you.  I need no help from a seventh-year know-it-all!"

Hermione was white, but somehow managed to hold her ground.  "Please sir, I've been working on this potion for a month now, but…"

"Can you _prove _that you have been working on this potion for that amount of time?"

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.  Snape must be working on a similar potion!  "Yes, I could prove it.  I bought special ingredients for it in a shop in Hogsmeade.  My friends will also tell you that I've been spending much of my spare time away from them, when I've been brewing the potion."

"Very well, then.  We will go to the ingredient shop and settle this.  There is still half an hour before it closes."  The time was seven-thirty.  

"Now, sir?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"What do you think?  Use your head.  We're going."

Hermione thought it better not to argue, so she followed Snape to the shop, via floo powder.  

It was the work of five minutes for Snape to ascertain that Hermione had been telling the truth.  When they returned to his dungeon classroom, Snape regarded Hermione thoughtfully.  

"So you're brewing a vampirism antidote?" Snape asked her.

"I thought it should work, in theory, but I'm missing something.  So I came here- I was hoping you would be willing to… help me.  I didn't realise you were working on a similar potion."

"You didn't- oh, I see.  Yes, I suppose it must have been obvious."  Was it Hermione's imagination, or was he actually beginning to thaw towards her?  "Well then, show me your notes."

Hermione took some folded parchment out of her pocket and handed it over, gratified that he had taken it for granted that she would not only have taken notes, but brought them with her.  He read in silence for a few minutes, in which time Hermione took the liberty of seating herself.  

Snape stopped reading and studied her for a moment.  Then he said in a strange tone of voice, "It is a careless mistake.  Take a look at the last page- you ought to see it."

Hermione accepted the parchment and read over it again.  Then she pulled a face at it.  She muttered crossly, "Of all the incompetent-" then she realised where she was, and she said, whilst blushing, "I'm sorry, professor, to have bothered you with this.  I had thought it was a missing ingredient, or it was some obscure addition I had overlooked."

She stood to leave, but Snape shook his head.  "We must talk," he said.  "And here is not the place.  I use this room to intimidate and discourage visitors.  Perhaps tomorrow evening…?"

Tomorrow was a Friday, but Hermione had no plans.  "What time, professor?" she asked.

"Immediately after dinner, if you please," the words 'if you please' were a cold courtesy; he expected her to come. "And Miss Granger?  Do not begin brew your potion again just yet.  Dispose of it, and we shall talk tomorrow." His tone held dismissal, so Hermione thanked him and left.  He had given her food for thought, not least in his attitude.  Where had his sarcasm gone?

~*~*~

The next evening she went to Snape's office just as dinner was finishing.  Harry and Ron shot her reproachful looks, but she ignored them.  

Snape, when she saw him, took her to a room she hadn't yet been in.  It had two armchairs and a fireplace in it, and could almost have been considered cosy if it weren't for her Potions teacher sitting upright in one of the chairs.  Hermione perched on the second one and waited for Snape to speak.  

At last he did so, speaking softly but perfectly audible in the quiet room.  "I began the vampire antidote three weeks ago.  I am currently at the same point you would be at if it were not for your unfortunate mistake.  If you were to re-brew the potion, which would take perhaps a week, you would still find yourself in difficulties.  I have a proposition to make.  You began your potion before I did mine, so the rights and claim to it are yours.  I, however, have more experience than you, and I believe I could finish the potion in less time than it would take you to do so.  My proposition is this: we finish the potion together.  In this arrangement, and this arrangement only, we would be partners.  We would also share the credit for the new discovery."

Of course it made sense.  Hermione knew it made sense.  She had, however, the disconcerting sense that the floor was falling out from under her feet.  This was the sensible solution, of course.  It only meant that she would be spending most of her free time with one of the professors she disliked most, even if she did grudgingly admire him.  

"Thankyou, sir," her traitorous tongue said.  "I would be happy to accept."

"Very well.  We will commence tomorrow," Snape glared at her, daring her to argue.  She didn't, even though she had promised to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday.  "Tomorrow, at eight a.m."

"Good, sir," Hermione replied.  Tomorrow would be sheer torture.  A whole day of Snape's sarcastic tongue!  And she had to get up early, too!  "May I look over your notes before then, please, to get an idea of how your procedure differs from mine?"  She readied herself for any possible contemptuous replies.  

"I expect no less. They are here."  Snape handed over his notes.  "You may read them now, so I can answer any questions you will have."

Hermione read over his notes carefully, wondering if he was testing her.  They were similar to the ones she had written, and they only went up to the point that she had reached.  It said that the final potion just simmered, unchanging, and was the 'third' green.  Hermione frowned. It seemed to be exactly the same as in her potion, and something was missing.  

"Sir?" Hermione asked tentatively.  

"What is it?"

"I have finished your notes, but I'm wondering- what was your next step going to be?"

Snape looked at her properly for the first time, studying her face for hidden secrets, noting the ink-stains on her hands, the no-nonsense robes she wore after school hours when she was working, and her hair, tied back out of her face and staying there due to some sort of sticking charm.  

At last, he said, "I do not know.  I have ideas, but no solid conclusion to them.  As you may have noticed, I too followed the wolfsbane potion pattern.  This potion needs but one more ingredient."

"Oh," Hermione said softly, thinking.

"Oh," mocked Snape, "You will learn, I suppose.  Now, Miss Granger, we will begin tomorrow.  Good night."  He wasn't wishing her a good night, but dismissing her.  Hermione nodded and left, placing Snape's notes on the table as she did so.  

_~*~*~_

"Look, I've already told you!  I have no choice!" Hermione yelled at Ron and Harry.  "It is _not my fault_ that he wants me there today!  I'm _sorry_!"  

"But _Hermione_…" Ron said.

"But what?" she replied crossly.  

"Couldn't you have said no?  You promised us!"  

"You try telling Snape no." she said flatly, and stormed off to the dungeons.  Ron and Harry shared an exasperated look.  

Snape was already in his office when she walked in.  He nodded to her curtly and led the way through to his private workroom.  A few hidden doors later, they were in it and standing in front of a large cauldron.  

"Here it is," Snape said, "So far, following the pattern of the wolfsbane potion, it seems to have gone well.  If it were the same potion, next would follow the wolfsbane plant, a drop of human blood, saliva, and a strand of wolf hair.  As of yet, I am uncertain as to which ingredient follows.  There is no 'vampiresbane' plant."

They spent the next hour talking of the theoretical possibilities.  It was eventually decided to split up the potion and try different ingredients on it, a drop of vampire blood, bloodsbane, and garlic, among others.  Hermione found it very strange having Snape actually listen to her without interrupting in his usual mocking manner.

The day finished with no success, and Hermione found herself agreeing to return tomorrow morning, but this time only until three o'clock.  

Still no progress had been made, and it became routine in the next two months for them to work together on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, all day Saturdays, and on Sunday mornings.  Harry and Ron had given up questioning Hermione, and she found herself slowly becoming immune to Snape's sarcasm, which was showing itself less and less frequently in their sessions.  She almost liked the man sometimes, and she thought he might even be beginning to appreciate her.  Of course, praise never came her way from Snape, but he did throw many less insults at her as she proved her worth.

It was two days before Christmas break when she finally had a flash of inspiration.  She was at dinner on a Wednesday evening, and her friends were talking about vampires.  Hermione looked around to see Snape rising from his chair at the teachers' table.  She ran over to him, oblivious to the odd looks she was receiving.  

"I've got it, sir!  I think I know what's next!"  

"Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere else?  Surely the middle off the Great Hall does not lend itself to _private conversation_!"  

Hermione didn't even blush, although she knew she should be embarrassed.  She nodded and walked briskly to the doors, ignoring the open-mouthed stares she was getting from quite a few students, Ron and Harry included.  

Once they were well on their way to the dungeons, Hermione said, "Sorry about that, but I was thinking… we've put vampire blood, garlic, and whatever else, but not together.  What if we combined _human_ blood with garlic, one repels and one attracts.  They ought to cancel each other out and nullify the… the vampirism."

Snape looked her over searchingly, like he had that night when she had read his notes.  He seemed to judge her, and Hermione felt, for the first time ever, that he didn't find her wanting.

Softly, he said, "Well done, Hermione.  Very well done."

It was his first praise of her.  She blushed.  "We still have to try it out, professor," she said, but she had a smile on her lips.  She thought he looked at her strangely again, but passed it off.  Who knew what went on in the mind of Professor Snape?

_~*~*~_

They reached the dungeon workroom and faced the single remaining cauldron of potion.  Then Hermione set to work crushing up garlic-flower petals, while Snape procured and cleaned a knife.  The petals were crushed and Snape made a small cut on the underside of his arm.  Before too much blood could fall onto the petals, Hermione said, softly but determinedly,

"Me too."  He looked at her once more, startled, but then nodded.  A moment later he magically sealed the cut, which healed without a scar.  He cleaned the knife quickly but thoroughly, and Hermione, smiling grimly, cut her own wrist without hesitation.  

If Hermione had been looking his way, she would have seen Snape look at her with another unreadable expression, but she was measuring her blood.  She cut off the flow with her wand a split second before Snape said, "Stop."  

Hermione smiled to herself and allowed Snape to stir the mixture.  Then, in unspoken agreement with her, he poured the liquid into the cauldron.  The potion turned a dark red colour.  She had been right.  The potion was complete.  Hermione clasped her hands and grinned, laughing internally.  Snape's hands were also clasped, but behind his back, and his face held a look of triumph.  They stood for a moment just looking at the potion.  Then, shaking her head to clear it, Hermione said,

"I suppose we had better test it.  Tonight, or should we wait for the weekend?"

"Tonight, with the headmaster's permission.  We can't risk some clumsy student tipping it over, now can we?"

"No student could even find his way here, let alone bypass all the spells, wards, and curses you've got on the place," Hermione said, "But I _would_ like to test this tonight."  

She knew that she could get away with a lot more when she was working with Snape, not as his pupil, so she knew he wouldn't snap at her.  The look he gave her, though, did startle her.  Once again, it was that look of not-quite admiration.  

"Few students could sense the wards I have put on my workroom," Snape said softly. 

"Few students spend all their free time brewing potions with their Potions professor, either," Hermione replied, almost-but-not-quite cheekily.

He smiled slightly, and then said, "True.  Perhaps I was referring to you as the clumsy student?"

Hermione decided that he was teasing her, and responded tartly, "I've broken nothing since we began this."

"True.  I think we should see the headmaster now."

"Why don't you, sir, and I'll write up the last of this potion?"

"Very well.  We will meet in the entrance hall in ten minutes, Miss Granger."

He swept out, and she allowed herself to roll her eyes before continuing the write up.  If she hurried, she could do that in five minutes, and bottle some potion too. Ten minutes later, she was ion the Entrance Hall.  Snape arrived at the same time she did.  

"If you have the potion we will walk to the gates and then use this portkey.  Professor Dumbledore has it keyed for Romania.  I believe he found that amusing."

Hermione snorted, and held up the potion to show him.  

"You used a glass bottle, a silver stopper, and temperature and sealant charms?" he enquired.  

"I did, professor," Hermione said blandly.  She'd only done it a thousand times!  She thought she saw Snape's lips twitch as he nodded curtly and led the way out the door.  

_~*~*~_

Romania presented itself in the form of Sylvania, and, aptly, they found themselves in a forest.  Hermione smiled once more, and followed Snape.  He was walking east, into what Hermione assumed would be the closest human settlement.  

She was right. They emerged into a village in only five minutes.  It was dark, and none of the houses had lights in their windows.  This was the place, then.  Snape spoke to her, more loudly than he would usually have done so.  

"Hopefully all it will take is a drop of this, splashed onto the vampire.  If it doesn't work, I will grab you and Apparate.  It may be that the potion needs to be internally consumed.  Or it might not work at all.  Either way, you might wish to stand closer to me and uncork the bottle."  

""I will, professor," Hermione replied, making her voice louder too.  As she complied, moving much closer to him than she wanted to, she continued, "talking will attract a vampire, won't it?"

"Yes.  You seem to remember your lessons.  As much as I detest speaking for the sake of hearing my own voice, that is we must do." 

"Yes, I suppose.  Ironic, isn't it, that when I have to talk, I can think of nothing?"

"Talking is not usually a problem for students, especially your friends during my- there!  Get ready to throw your potion."  

Hermione raised the bottle in her right arm, and felt Snape's left arm come around her waist.  She kept her eyes on the vampire, trying to ignore him so close.  It was nearly within range, it was drawing closer, it was baring its teeth, in three seconds, two, _now_!  Hermione swung her arm, and succeeded in landing about a quarter of the bottle's contents on the vampire, getting its bare neck.  

The monster continued on, and then it leaped… Hermione was in a forest, leaning against Snape.  She stood up, and then felt Snape's arms move from where they were holding her against him.  Hermione felt herself blush, but knew that it couldn't be seen in the darkness.  Small blessing.

"Thankyou," she said quietly, but knowing Snape would hear.  Apparition with a minor was illegal, because so many things could go wrong.  

"You're welcome, Hermione."

This time Hermione registered the use of her first name.  However, she didn't comment, but turned back to the business at hand.

"If you're willing to try again, Professor Snape, I can aim for its mouth.  We have about three quarters left."

"I would offer to throw the potion-"

"But you need to be ready to Apparate," Hermione finished.  She didn't realise she was talking to the feared and hated potions professor as she would one of her friends, albeit a respected one.  This situation was too different to that of the classroom.

"Yes.  Shall we go, then?"

They walked east once more, and soon were in the village.  Once more, facing the mountains in which they knew the monster made its lair, Hermione uncorked the bottle.  This time, when Snape's left arm came around her waist, she gripped his arm.  It silently told him of her gratitude even as it reassured him of her determination.  

Snape didn't shake her off, as she had half expected. Instead he said, loudly, "Come on.  We know you're there.'  

"I can see its eyes!  It's coming," Hermione said, also loudly.  

It was coming, closer and closer.  Again, Hermione gauged the time and threw potion at the vampire.  It hit the thing squarely on its mouth, about half of the bottle's contents.  

This time, the vampire swallowed some.  Immediately, it faltered, and then slowly sank to its knees.  The gleam went out of its eyes, and its teeth appeared to shrink in size.  Snape's arm tightened around Hermione's waist.  He said 'lumos' even as Hermione corked the bottle and withdrew her own wand from her pocket.  She too said the lighting spell.  They slowly moved towards the form slumped on the cobbled street.  The vampire didn't move, but a voice came from it,

"Sprechen Sie Deutsch?"  _Do you speak German?_

Hermione laughed, this time with sheer relief.  Vampires didn't talk!  Snape relaxed his arm, although he didn't let go of her.  He said, "Nein, sprechen Sie Englisch?"  _No, do you speak English?_

"Mein Gott!  Ich habe vergessen- Ich habe Englisch Jahren in meine Schule für dreizehn  gesprecht!  Sprechen Sie Französisch?"  _My God!  I've forgotten- I spoke English for thirteen years, at school!  Do you speak French?_

"Nein," Snape said, in his highly accented German.  "Ein Moment…" He said something Hermione couldn't catch, and then, "Can you understand me?" __

"I can.  What happened?  I dreamed of terror," the vampire/man said.

"Do you know what a muggle is?" Snape asked.

"I do, and I am not one.  Please, what happened?"  

"You had an accident," Hermione put in.

"We have a portkey which will activate in two minutes.  Can you sit up?  We will explain soon."  Snape's manner was so different to usual that Hermione could hardly believe it was him.  The night was beginning to seem surreal.  The man sat up, though, and Hermione saw his face.  It looked haggard, and in the wand light almost scary, but it wasn't the face of a vampire.  The man slowly rose to his feet and stood in front of them.  He was wearing black robes, and looked unsteady on his feet.  With his free hand, Snape took out the same portkey they had used to come to Sylvania.  Hermione reached for it too, after putting her wand back into her pocket.  The man put both of his hands onto the portkey.  

"My name is Thomas.  I don't know what has happened.  Where do you take me?"  

"Have you heard of Hogwarts?" Snape asked.  "We will all go there for answers, and food,"  

Thomas nodded his head and didn't ask more questions.  Then Hermione felt the portkey take effect.  

Hermione landed unsteadily, and found herself once again being supported in Snape's arms.  She realised that he hadn't taken his arm away once the vampire had become Thomas.  He quickly did so now, though, and Hermione found herself in slight regret.  It was, of course, only because she had felt safer before.  But now she was at the gates of Hogwarts.  She was safe.  

Dumbledore was there, with a scowling Madame Pomfrey and an absolutely furious professor McGonagall.

"Severus!  What on earth did you think you… without consulting me… she's seventeen!  She's a student!  The danger… she could have been… you both could have been… oh Hermione, are you alright?"

Hermione couldn't have been more surprised.  The severely stern professor had worried about her, to the point of berated a colleague in front of a student and a guest, and Snape had been positively nice!  

"I'm fine, professor.  It's- I wanted to do this.  Honestly!"  Hermione tried to reassure her.  

"Minerva," Dumbledore said, "They wanted to test their potion, which seems to have been a success.  Hermione was willing.  Now, why don't we talk about this inside?  I'm sure you," here he spoke to Thomas, "would like a hot drink and a seat.  My office will do nicely, I believe.  Come along!"

_~*~*~_

Thomas had said that he was thirty-six, and that he had attended Hogwarts.  Snape had immediately denounced that as impossible.  While the teachers spent time convincing Thomas of what had happened to him, namely the vampire bite, Hermione spent time coming to terms with the fact that Snape was thirty-six, and not much older than she was.  If somebody had told Hermione yesterday that Snape was fifty-six, she would have believed him.  

When Hermione had come back to reality, Thomas was convinced of the happenings, that he had lost thirty years of his life.  The professors were briefly giving him the events of the last thirty years, and Hermione joined in with more vigour than she would usually have applied to the task.  

Finally, Thomas excused himself, thanking them but wanting to check on his wife and daughter.  He used Floo powder, and Hermione smiled to herself.  She wondered if he knew about Apparition.  

Then the real discussion started, with Snape and Hermione recounting the events of the night.  Dumbledore listened silently, and McGonagall didn't say anything either, although she was quite white by the end.  

"So basically," Hermione summed up, "the potion works as long as the vampire swallows some.  It probably also works if some of the potion gets into the vampire's blood stream in any other way, too."

"That seems reasonable," McGonagall replied.  Her voice was slightly strained.  

"Indeed.  The ministry will need to be informed, headmaster," Snape said.  

"I will owl them," Dumbledore replied.  "They will, of course, want to interview the both of you.  If I may suggest this Saturday?  You might be asked to personally teach other professionals the potion, and the Christmas holidays would be an ideal time for that."

"I have no problem with such an arrangement," Snape said, but he looked to Hermione.  

"I was planning on staying at Hogwarts anyway, this last year, so my parents won't object.  I don't." Hermione said.  

"Then that's settled.  You can take the train to King's Cross, and from there I'm sure Severus can get you to the ministry."

"I can." Snape replied.  

"Then everything's arranged.  You will travel with the departing students.  Now, as it is currently one in the morning, I suggest you go to bed.  Miss Granger, you will be excused from the first two morning classes, if you so choose.  I know sleep is necessary at your age."  Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily.  Hermione would bet that he knew that she often stayed up to two in the morning, reading or studying.  

"Thankyou, professor.  I'll think about it."  

"No doubt.  Well, goodnight to you both!"

Hermione bid goodnight to Dumbledore and McGonagall, and she rose to go, followed by Snape.

At the bottom of the stairs, where they would part ways, Snape stopped Hermione.  "Do you intend to attend your second period class tomorrow, Miss Granger?"

Hermione grinned at him, while wondering where her fear and awe of him had gone.  "I think if I skipped Potions tomorrow I'll find this coming Christmas much harder than otherwise.  I'll come, professor."

"Good.  What about first period?"  If Hermione hadn't known better, she would have thought he was teasing her.  

"History of Magic?  No thankyou!  It won't make much difference anyway; if I did go I'd just sleep at my desk.  As usual."

"Old Binns was boring when he taught me, too.  But I'll bid you goodnight now.  I can't afford to sleep through first period tomorrow.  Goodnight, Hermione. You did well tonight."

"Thankyou, professor.  And- thanks for getting us out of there with Apparition."

Snape nodded to her, and she smiled and nodded back before heading to Gryffindor tower.  On the way, she thought of his out-of-character behaviour.  She didn't think she had heard him talk like that even to his Slytherins, and she was very surprised that she found herself joking with him.  Hermione wondered how long he would continue to call her by her first name, too.  There was more to him that met the eyes, that was for certain, and much more to him that the impression of most Gryffindors implied.  Harry was wrong about Severus Snape.  He was very wrong.  

_~*~*~_

Hermione woke up at seven the next morning anyway, out of habit.  She decided against History of Magic.  Not only was it boring, but she already knew as much as, if not more than, Bins on the subject, anyway.  Instead, Hermione chose to stay in bed and read.  She had already exhausted the library of its information on vampires, so she was now reading the muggle world's very first book about vampires, _Dracula_.  

At a quarter past eight, Hermione decided that she ought to get up, so she did so.  By the time she had showered, dressed, and breakfasted, it was time for Potions.  In that class, Snape was no nicer to her than he had been in her first year, at least openly.  His sarcasm, however, wasn't loaded with its usual venom when directed at her.  She assumed that this was because she had actually attended his class when she had an excuse not to, and so passed it off.  

After class, she had some explaining to do.  She didn't know how much to tell Harry and Ron and finally settled for saying,

"You know that project I'm working on with Snape?  I still can't tell you what it is, but we had a breakthrough last night.  We were up late testing it, so Dumbledore gave me first period off."  

"Hermione, you're spending all your free time on this 'project!'  At least tell us what it is!" Ron moaned.  

"We've been through all this before!" Hermione said.  "Besides, aren't there things you two don't tell me?"

Ron went red, and Harry had to choke back laughter before he could say, "Hermione, that's different.  There are some things guys have to keep to themselves."

"Well, there are some things 'bloody know-it-alls,' to use your phraseology, Ron, have to keep to themselves. Now, I suggest you two hurry to Divination.  We're late!"

Hermione went to Snape's workroom that evening, out of habit as much as anything else.  He was bottling the vampire potion, and Hermione fell to.  When there was only a little left, not enough to fill a full-sized bottle, Hermione poured it into a small crystal bottle she had around her neck, which she then shrunk.  Snape didn't see, although she didn't make any particular effort to hide what she had done.  Once everything was cleaned, Hermione thought the workroom looked empty without the cauldron over the fire.  She was about to take her leave when Snape said,

"Would you care to come into my conference room for a while?  I believe we have things to discuss."  

Hermione accepted, and then realised which room he meant, the one with the armchairs.  Once there, Snape offered her a cup of coffee, which she accepted.  

"What did you have to discuss with me, sir?" she asked him.  

"Firstly, about this meeting with the ministry.  It might take up to a week, so I suggest you bring clothes and any homework you have been assigned.  If you have been in the habit of wearing muggle clothes during the holidays, I suggest that you suspend that practice until our return.  Muggle clothing will bring you down in the estimation of some ministry officials, unfortunate as that is." Snape's lips thinned, and he had a strange look in his eyes for a moment.  Then he snapped back to himself.  "Such is the way of life.  Now, that means you ought to pack tonight.  We will take the train into London tomorrow; it departs after the evening meal.  A ministry car will pick us up from King's Cross, and we will be shown to our rooms there.  Conferences start early the next morning."

Hermione asked, "What exactly will be happening in these conferences?"

"We will talk to a group of ministry potion-makers and officials about the theory we employed to make the potion.  Then we show that the potion works; I presume they will have captured a vampire for demonstration.  Then they'll talk about it a lot, and eventually decide that the potion is important.  Then we will be officially recognised, and then we will have to teach a group of potion-makers how to make the potion.  _That_ is a trial worse than Hufflepuff first-years."

Hermione grinned.  "And much worse than Gryffindor seventh-years, I'm sure.  But you think this whole thing will take a week?"  Snape smiled wryly at her before he replied.  

"I believe so.  It will be five days at the least, and might extend up to two weeks.  Everything depends on the officials we have to deal with."

"I see."  Hermione didn't think she had any more questions, and she told him that.

"There is but one other issue.  Many of the professors here felt it unnecessary, but the headmaster and I both feel that this must be brought up."  

He seemed to be waiting for Hermione to say something, so she said, "Okay."

"It is this; I defected from Voldemort's side quite a while ago; yes, the rumours do have some accuracy in them; I was a deatheater at one stage."  His lips tightened again, and then he continued.  "However, I soon realised my mistake.  It was pressure that brought me to join, and pressure that made me stay.  Eventually, though, something happened to make me choose to leave.  I went to Dumbledore, and through his suggestion became a… I suppose you could say a spy, for our cause.  I hesitate to say the 'good' cause, because nothing is wholly good."  His lips twisted in a wry smile.  Hermione didn't say anything, knowing that he would continue.  

"Recently, news of an information leak has come to the attention of Voldemort.  A few of his supporters were cast out of the circle, a temporary suspension, he assured us, while he found the source of the leak.  I was one of those suspended.  When he finds out that I brought news of this potion to the ministry before to him, I will be in trouble.  You will be spending the next week or so in my company, there is a chance of danger.  Possibly death, for me, and perhaps for you too."

"Oh," Hermione said.  She didn't quite know what to say.  

"Yes.  So if you would now rather not go, that is perfectly acceptable.  You are under no obligation to do so; I am quite capable of giving the presentation to the ministry myself."

"No," Hermione said firmly, finally having something she could answer without hesitation.  "I'm going."

Again, Snape gave her a scrutinising look, wondering, perhaps, if she was being sincere.  "Are you sure?  It honestly makes no difference if-"

Hermione found herself interrupting again.  "It does make a difference.  I made the potion with you, even if all of the thinking was your doing.  I was a part of it, I was there when we tested it, and I'm going."  

Snape smiled and shook his head, a proper smile for all that it was rueful.  "I see the headmaster was not wrong when he said you would not be persuaded into not coming.  I suppose if the prospect of sharing the experience with me has not put you off, then death certainly won't."  

Hermione rolled her eyes, and then realised that he'd made a joke outside of his usual sarcasm.  Would wonders never cease?  "That's ridiculous and you know it."  She wondered if she had overstepped there, but the Potions professor didn't snap at her.  

"Very well then.  If you are not to be deterred, I think we have nothing more to discuss.  I need not tell you to bring your working notes with you tomorrow.  That having been said, I wish you a pleasant night.  No doubt I will see you in class tomorrow."  

"Yes, sir.  Will there be Potions homework assigned?"  A silly question, but she asked it anyway.  With luck, he would tell her now so she could get it over and done with before it was even set.

"Of course there will."  His voice was derisive.  "You will receive the assignment tomorrow, with your classmates."  He saw through her, then.  Well, it had been worth a try.  "If that is everything?" 

"Yes, sir.  Goodnight."  And Hermione left.

_~*~*~_

Hermione stepped off the train with Snape, and suddenly felt nervous.  She would be teaching a group of ministry officials how to brew a potion!  She would be explaining complex magical theory to older people with more experience than she could ever hope to have!  This wasn't just showing Neville how to brew a potion.  It wasn't even explaining how the different charms and spells worked to Ron and Harry.  This was different.  

She followed Snape through the bustling crowd of people, usual on a Saturday afternoon, to the front of King's Cross Station, where a cab immediately picked them up.  Neither Snape nor the driver said anything, so Hermione assumed that it was a ministry car.  She sat back in her seat, opposite to Professor Snape, trying to quell her nerves.  She was being silly.  Nothing could go wrong- and even if it did, what was the worst that could happen?  Carrying on in that line of thought was probably not a good idea.  She looked out the window, watching the muggles with a smile.  

They had no idea what was out there, the magical world.  They wanted new discoveries and new inventions, not realising that there were so many easier ways to do things… and Hermione had nearly been one of those people.  Do you believe in magic?  The cycle of life was a funny thing.  A muggle was born, and encouraged to believe in magic.  He outgrew it, knowing that nothing of the sort existed.  Then, when he became old, he began once to more to hope for magic, and then to believe… without even realising it.  A powerful being, a god, with the amazing abilities of creating the earth, of flooding the earth, of influencing prophets?  Magical abilities… and to think that the poor muggles had been convinced by Moses.  

Before Hermione knew it, her speculation had taken her to the ministry, and the cab had stopped.  She got out, feeling her nerves come back in full force, and saw Snape thank the driver.  There was no exchange of money, so Hermione assumed that he was a ministry driver.  A muggle certainly wouldn't drive off without being paid… at least without loud vocal protestations, and probably physical ones too.  

"Follow me," Snape said, and started into the building.   Hermione picked up her trunk and followed him, through the large doors up to a desk.  Snape stopped, and spoke to the witch in charge behind the desk.  "We are here to speak to a delegation about a new potions discovery.  My assistant and I have, I believe, separate rooms reserved.  What time does the conference begin?"  

"Yes, sir, you have adjoining rooms on the third floor.  The conference will begin in about an hour; it's in room thirty-five.  Do you need help with direction?  I have your room keys here…" The woman bustled on, interspersing their sleeping arrangements with information about the delegation they were to see and their schedule for the following days.  Hermione stood trying not to smile; Snape was impatiently waiting for her to finish.  At last she did so, handing over the keys.  

"Here you are, then!  Have a pleasant stay!"  She reminded Hermione strongly of an airline stewardess, and Hermione had to bite back another laugh.  She accepted her key gravely, and then followed Snape once more, through a door on their left, and then up to their rooms by a moving staircase similar to Dumbledore's.  When they reached the third floor, a little searching found their rooms.  Hermione's looked nothing like a hotel she'd ever been to.  There was a huge four-poster bed (twice the size of her own at Hogwarts), a writing desk, two armchairs, an owl-cage complete with food and water (although no owl), a gilt mirror that talked incessantly, countless other objects that Hermione could find no use for, and a thick luxurious carpet.  

First things first, she thought, and cast the strongest silencing charm she knew onto the mirror.  Smiling happily, she proceeded to unpack all of her clothes.  She was finishing when Snape came in, knocking first on the connecting door.  

After casting an amused glance at her silent mirror, he said, "We will need to leave in ten minutes.  Are you ready?"

"Just about," Hermione replied, and then put the last of her clothes away.  "Okay, done.  Shall we go?"  

_~*~*~_

A/N So here endeth part one… of four parts.  The fourth chapter's the end, folks… unless I suddenly get hit with inspiration.  Yes, I know where I'm going, but it stops soon… three more chapters of the same length ought to conclude my little story.  So go!  Review!!!__


	2. Capture

**A/N Thanks sooo much to everyone who reviewed!  I wasn't expecting nearly so many reviews, so I'm really, really happy!  Thanks to Maiva, for being my first reviewer, and as to your question, vampires are subtly different in everything you read.  My interpretation's different again.  And now it's on to part two.  I don't own Snape, Hermione, or anything else you might recognise that came from J K Rowling's wonderful books.  R/R!**

Hermione was seated next to Snape at a long table surrounded by important people.  She wasn't sure quite what else to call them; they ranged from representatives from other countries to famed potion makers to important ministry lawmakers.  At the moment, though, Fudge was babbling on about goodness-knows-what, and everybody was trying to look interested.  At last, Fudge sat down, and Snape stood up, subtly nudging Hermione to do the same.  She rose nearly as gracefully as he did, thankful for his warning.  She hadn't heard a word that Fudge had said.  

"As the minister of magic has said, we are here to talk about a potion we have recently brewed, one to turn vampires to the men or women they were originally.  In the upcoming days, we will speak of the theory behind the potion, show you its ingredients, and give a demonstration of its effectiveness."  Snape was in teaching mode, and Hermione almost expected him to follow this up with a wry 'Are there any questions?'  He didn't.  

The next four hours were taken up with questions which Hermione and Snape took turns in answering.  By the time they retired to their own rooms, Hermione was exhausted.  She had finished showering and was beginning to wonder what they would do for dinner when Snape knocked on the door joining their rooms.  He came in at her call, and said, "Dinner is served, if you would care to join me."  

"Of course," Hermione said, and was surprised when Snape turned back the way he came.  After a second's hesitation, Hermione followed.  She didn't find herself in Snape's room, but in large room with a table and two chairs.  On the other side of the room she saw another door, and presumed that it lead to Snape's room.  Food was on the table, so Hermione sat.  Snape sat down opposite her, and offered her the breadbasket wordlessly.  Hermione was surprised by the courtesy, but said nothing.  She took a roll, murmured her thanks, and put it on her plate.

They ate in silence for a while, until Snape broke Hermione's thoughts by asking, "What did you think of today?"

"It was okay."

"You did well."  The compliment took Hermione by surprise- was he trying to comfort her, to put her at ease?  Or did he truly mean it?  

"I felt uncomfortable," Hermione said, without quite realising it.  She hadn't meant to be so open, but it just came out. 

"Why?" His voice was soft, much softer than it ever had been before.  

"I- I feel so _young_ compared to everyone else," Hermione said, looking into his eyes for the first time since she had sat down.  "I feel like they all look down on me because of it.  And they ask me questions… I know the answers to them, but they seem to be almost testing me!"

"It's a cold comfort, but those types of questions will cease when they realise that you do know what you are talking about."

"I know.  I just wonder what it would be like if I didn't know the answers.  They would think me silly, and then they would disregard this whole thing."

"Hermione," Snape said, again in the soft voice, "you know more about potions than any other student in the school, and quite a few of the professors, dare I say it.  They will slowly come to accept you."

"I hope so, Professor," Hermione said.  Snape looked as if he was about to say something, but he refrained.  Instead, he gave a half-smile and continued eating.  Hermione did so too.  

Once they had finished, Snape said, "Tomorrow is going to be all answering questions, again.  It's a waste of time, in my own opinion, but I wasn't asked that when we were summoned to this interview," he smiled wryly again.  "But they need to know the theory behind what may soon become a major defence against dark, and there is a slim chance that their questions may bring an idea for improvement to the potion."  

"I find _that_ hard to believe," Hermione said, remembering the types of questions that she was asked.  And then, "This is just such a waste of time!  We could be getting onto important things, instead of answering question after question, proving to them that we actually know what we're talking about."  Hermione hadn't missed the testing questions that were thrown at Snape, although there were considerably less of them for him than for her.  

"I know.  But all we can do is make the best of it.  I think I will retire, now.  Goodnight, Hermione."  He stood up and went through the other door, and Hermione stood too.  She went into her own room, and was soon asleep.    

~*~*~

The next day was worse than the first one.  It was so boring, Hermione thought, drilling their ideas into the uncomprehending minds of these _annoying_ people.  They didn't understand, they thought that they knew better than she did, and they were constantly testing her, trying to find flaws in her argument, trying to find some error in her words or some inconsistency in her ideas.  By lunchtime, she was ready to scream with frustration.  They broke for lunch, and the whole group, this time, ate outside.  Hermione made certain to sit next to Snape, she didn't know what would happen if she got separated from him- somebody would very probably get hexed, she decided.  

Sitting to her right was a girl in her mid-twenties.  Hermione realised with a start that it was Percy's girlfriend from her second year, Penelope something.  She smiled at her, realising that she hadn't been one to constantly plague her with useless question.  Penelope smiled back, and started up a conversation about Arithmancy, which had nothing whatsoever to do with the vampire potion.  Hermione couldn't have been happier.  

They were discussing one of the more controversial aspects when Snape joined the conversation, and soon lunch was over before Hermione even realised it.  She was much more relaxed, and more able to deal with the rest of the questions and points raised by the committee.  

Hermione saw Penelope speaking quietly to a few of the more troublesome members of the group that afternoon, and after that there was a marked decrease in the number of pointless questions directed at her.  Hermione smiled thankfully at Penelope, and continued to explain to one particularly dense wizard why they used the flower of the garlic plant as opposed to the root.  At last, around four o'clock, there were no more questions.  Everybody seemed satisfied with the potion, so Snape addressed the group.  

"If there are no more issues to be raised, I will conclude today's meeting.  If there are no objections, we will meet here again tonight at eleven o'clock to test a sample of potion on a vampire I believe has been spared in a raid for this purpose."

There was a murmur of consent, from everyone present, and then they all stood to leave.  Hermione followed Snape out of the conference room once more, feeling much more optimistic than she had yesterday.  Out of sight and hearing from the room, she breathed a sigh of relief.  

"Thank God that's over!  No more infuriating questions!"  

"I have a question for you, although whether it will be infuriating or not I could not say."  Snape smiled for the third time since he had been away from Hogwarts.  Hermione wondered whether he was getting more comfortable in her company, or if it was the absence of the students that influenced him.  

"Ask on.  I'm sure it's not as trivial as that lot in there were, in any case."

"Well, then.  You kept fiddling with the chain around your neck in there.  I was wondering what you have on it."

"Oh," Hermione blushed.  "It's just crystal potion bottles, shrunk in size.  It was a present from my parents a while ago.  I keep samples of the most useful potions I come across in them."  

"You have a sample of the vampire potion in there, do you?"

"Yes.  Along with stasis potions, stunning potions, sleeping drafts, fire protections, simple revival potions; I've spent too much time with Harry and Ron not to realise the value of having emergency things with me, just in case."  She smiled, thinking how useful her potions could have been in her third year, when she 'attacked' Snape, or in her first year, when on the path to the philosopher's stone.  

"It is a good idea, one that I, perhaps, would be wise to take note of."

Hermione didn't know how to reply to that, so she kept quiet.  Once they reached their rooms, Hermione asked, "Are we going to eat before we go?"

"I would assume so."

"Okay, then.  See you soon."  Inwardly cringing at sounding like a first year with her foot in her mouth, Hermione went inside to once more shower and change her clothes.  Then she went into the dining room again, to be met with Snape only moments later.  They ate together, Hermione quite comfortable in Snape's presence now.  There was a continuation of the discussion that Hermione and Penelope had started that lasted through the main course and halfway through dessert, and then a discussion on whether modifying the Unforgivibles and using them to tame ferocious animals ought to be legal lasted through the rest of dessert, and ended up with Snape and Hermione sitting in the armchairs in Hermione's room, debating furiously.  

After that, they went from subject to subject, discussing different things.  Hermione felt herself warming even more to her Potions professor.  If only Harry and Ron could see this side of him!  Although, perhaps they wouldn't appreciate the academic focus of the conversation, Ron especially.  Before Hermione even knew it, it was half-past ten, and time to go.  She stood up reluctantly, as did Snape, and they both stretched unconsciously.  Then it was off the group of people waiting to see their potion in action.  

_~*~*~_

They were back in the conference room once more, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.  Finally, at about a quarter to midnight, the last group of people arrived.  

"If the latecomers will settle down," Snape said, with more than a hint of venom in his voice, "Then we can proceed.  Any of you not wishing to be in the room when the vampire is let out can leave now.  There is a charm placed on that wall," he indicated to the wall opposite him, "So that you can observe the happenings in here from outside.  You are all, of course, welcome to stay in this room and observe, as long as you do not distract us, and you know that you are responsible for your own actions.  

Nobody left the room.  Hermione wondered whether that was due to pride or whether they were honestly not afraid, but she didn't get a chance to decide because Snape handed her a bottle of potion, and then stepped forward to use his wand to remove the lid of the coffin that the vampire was in.  

As soon as the lid was off, the vampire rose.  It looked around itself with a snarl, cowering away from the lights, and saw Hermione.  With a leap, it flung itself at her.  She was ready, though, and threw the contents of the bottle in its face.  Some landed in its open mouth.  

The vampire swallowed, and then fell suddenly to the floor in mid-leap.  Hermione smiled grimly to herself, the demonstration had gone as well as hoped.  She cautiously made her way to the vampire, and saw that Snape was doing the same.  A woman, this time, lay there.  She had long, auburn hair, and a thin frame.  She was shaking, and Hermione stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.  

"You're okay. You had a bit of an accident, there are some mediwizards on hand to help."  

The woman stood shakily, wonder in her eyes.  "I was surrounded by them," she said with awe.  "They were closing in on me!  How could I have escaped?"

"That will take some explanation," Snape said softly.  "If you'll go with the mediwizards here, they'll look you over and explain everything."

"I – okay."  She stepped slowly down, taking in her surroundings.  As she reached the mediwizards, they began speaking comfortingly to her, and then gave her a potion of some sort.  She began to visibly relax, and then was led off.  Once she had left the room, Snape said,

"That was our demonstration.  As you can see, that woman is no more a vampire than I am."  Hermione fought a sudden smile, thinking about what Ron would say to that.  As if reading her thoughts, Snape added, "Despite what some of my students might say."  

There was laughter from the audience.  "If there are no questions or issues, may I suggest we retire for the night?  We will meet back here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

The crowd dispersed, and Hermione once again walked back to her rooms with Snape.  

"I thought that went quite well." Hermione said. 

"It did.  It surprised some of the sceptics, though."

"Yes.  They'll be back tomorrow, though, wanting proof and another demonstration and all sorts."

"That's what we're here for," Snape said, smiling ironically.  "To convince the people that we know what we're talking about.  It will take time.  I give it another three days before we can go back to Hogwarts."

"And then two weeks before school starts again?"

"I believe so.  Christmas day is next week, and then there is another week before the second term begins."

"Okay.  Well, goodnight then."  They had reached their rooms.  

"I'll see you in the morning, Hermione."  She smiled, and went into her room.  

_~*~*~_

It was still dark.  That was the first thing she noticed.  The second was that it was cold.  As she reached around sleepily to pull her covers back over herself, she realised the third thing.  She couldn't move.  Six and a half years with Harry and Ron hadn't been wasted.  She immediately stopped struggling, and forced her brain to work.  Where was she?  It was pitch black, and she couldn't move her arms or legs.  A body-bind, then.  She could feel clothes- the nightgown she wore to sleep in.  So she had been asleep.  

A soft whisper behind her alerted her to other people in the room, and then she felt herself lifting up.  She was moving, but didn't feel anything on her forcing her to do that.  Magic.  

Suddenly, dim lights came on.  Hermione found that she was in the room she usually ate in with Snape.  She was moving, floating slowly towards the door that presumably led to his rooms.  She still hadn't been in them.  Then she stopped, in front of the door.  A cloaked figure appeared to her right, and then knocked on the door.  

"Severus.  Open the door."  The voice was hoarse, coming from the man who had knocked.  On her left, another figure materialised.  Hermione tried to open her mouth, to shout at Snape not to do anything, but she couldn't.  All she could do was watch in helplessness.  

Then she heard Snape's voice on the other side of the door.  "Who is it?"  He was being cautious, then.  And then Snape must have made use of the magical spy-hole in the door, because he immediately said, "Let her go!  Who are you?"

"Old friends, Severus.  Her room wasn't warded as yours was.  And you will come out now, or things will not go well for your little assistant, here."  The figure to her left gripped her arm, and slowly twisted it back.  It hurt, but Hermione couldn't make a noise even if she had wanted to.  The body bind wouldn't let her.  

"Let her go!" Snape's voice was furious, to an extent that Hermione had never heard, not even directed at Harry.  

"Not until you come out here.  I'm warning you!"  This was the one twisting her arm.  They were both men, then.  

"I will come out!  Stop it!"  Snape began to unlock his door.  Hermione put all her efforts into screaming at him not to, but she couldn't open her mouth.  _Damn_ this spell!  _Why_ hadn't she thought to ward her rooms?  Why hadn't Snape told her to?  It's not his fault, she reminded herself.  How could he have known this would happen?  He probably only warded his own out of habit.  

Snape's door opened, and he came out.  Somebody shouted 'stupefy.'

_~*~*~_

Hermione came back into consciousness slowly, wondering why she was so cold and uncomfortable.  Her brain sluggishly began to work, slowly recalling her recent memories.  She sat up with a groan, and saw that Snape was lying on the stone floor about a foot away.  Recent events aside, Hermione immediately crawled over to Snape, not daring to try and stand just yet.  He was lying on his back, and his skin was as pale as she had ever seen it.  He was breathing, though, and, from the rise and fall of his chest, it appeared to be around normal rate, so Hermione just sat next to him.  

It was too much to hope that she would have her wand, and a quick search proved that she didn't.  She was still in her nightshirt, and so was without the usual contents of her pockets.  All she did have was her wristwatch, her necklace with the different potions, and the nightgown she was wearing.  Not particularly good, all told, although the necklace was a blessing she hadn't been expecting.  It was lucky that she hadn't taken it off last night.  Then Snape stirred, and immediately her thoughts went back to him.  Was he waking up?  

He was.  As soon as his eyes were open, Hermione asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."  The response was mechanical.  He would have said it regardless.

"Really, professor, are you hurt?"  'Professor' seemed the wrong thing to call him, but she didn't know how else to address him.

"I'm not hurt- which is more than I had hoped for.  I assume they stupefied you the same time they did me?"

"I… guess."  It was so cold!  Where were they?  And who had kidnapped them?  "Do you know where we are?"

"A dungeon in a cold climate, apparently.  That narrows it down to a hemisphere, give and take."  His sarcasm hadn't disappeared, then.  Was it, perhaps, a way to cope?  A way to cope with his job, with his students, and with his life?  It was an interesting concept, but one she would have to think about another time.  

"Ha ha.  It's too cold for sarcasm.  I'm freezing."  

"It's no wonder- my clothing is more… substantial than your own, and I am cold.  Would you like my cloak?"  

"Then you'd be cold!"  The strangeness of the situation didn't even occur to her- the Snape she had been with during the holiday and worked with for the past months was a completely different person to her old potions master.  "But I wouldn't say no to sharing it with you."  

Snape looked very surprised for a moment, before once more schooling his features to blankness.  "Of course you may."  He made a movement to unfasten it, but before he could even begin, Hermione had moved closer to him.  She put a hand on his arm to tell him to stop, and then sat right next to him and pulled part of the cloak to cover her shoulders.  Snape's shock tripled, and Hermione wondered when the last time somebody had voluntarily touched him had been. Resolving to do it more often when she wasn't compelled by cold, she grinned at him.  "Nothing beats body warmth."

She needed to let him know that she had her necklace with the potions on it, that there was an opportunity for escape, but she would bet anything that the room was spelled for listening charms, and probably viewing ones, too.  Well, there was one way.  Stifling a nervous giggle, and ignoring a funny jump somewhere in the region of her stomach, Hermione took Snape's arm, and guided it around her shoulders and to the neckline of her robe.  Before he could say anything, she pressed the chain into his hand, praying that he would understand.  

He did.  Into her ear, he whispered, "Clever."  Hermione smiled slightly, squeezed his hand in thanks, and then let go.  Snape held his hand where it was for a moment, before moving it away to less intimate areas, around her shoulders.  

Grateful for his warmth, Hermione stayed comfortable where she was, wondering again how they could escape this situation.  A click startled her out of her reverie, and, looking up, Hermione saw the only door in the room begin to open.  Snape's arm around her tightened, whether in protectiveness or by reflex, she couldn't say.  

Through the door came two men, clothed in similar black robes to those of her captors last night.  Hermione tensed.  It looked as though she was about to find out where they were and why they were here.  

"Snape!"  The taller of the two men spat out sharply.  Hermione couldn't see his face because of the hood covering it, and she didn't recognise his voice, either.  

"Correct, Phillips.  Is there a reason for my student and myself to be… detained, here?"

"His lordship is most displeased with you.  You are to follow immediately!" The man that Snape had addressed as Phillips spun on his heel and lead the way out.  The second man levelled his wand at Hermione, gesturing forcefully with his free hand for them to precede him.  Snape rose, pulling Hermione gently up with him.  Hermione was quite stable on her feet, to her surprise, and Snape seemed to be, too.  He moved his arm from around her shoulder, but took her hand as they left the cell.  Whether it was for her comfort or to make sure they did not become separated, Hermione didn't know.  She was glad of the reassurance, though, as they passed countless doors in the stone passageway, the gloom sporadically lit up with flickering torches.

Then, all of a sudden, they were in his presence.  Despite all her adventures and her time spent with Harry and Ron, Hermione had never seen Voldemort before.  All of Harry's descriptions fell short at the…  _thing_ in front of her.  He couldn't be called a man, and he certainly couldn't be called a person.  She understood immediately why Harry refused to avoid saying his name.  She knew with an absolute clarity that she had been wrong in imploring Harry not to say his name.  Voldemort did not need any more fear credited to his account.

Voldemort spoke.  "Snape."  Hermione's Potions professor inclined his head without a word.  This seemed to anger Voldemort, who immediately said,  "You believe yourself above greeting me in the usual manner of my servants?"

"It is too late for grovelling."  Snape's words were calm and even.  He still held her hand.  

Voldemort's face darkened.  He obviously did not like others getting the better of him.  He evidently knew of Snape's role, because his face held no surprise.  "Why is it that knowledge of your new invention went first to the ministry?  Had you any intention of revealing this new potion to me?"

"Sending it to the ministry was the most sensible thing to do.  My intentions were for the best."

"Which side have you chosen, Severus Snape?  You cannot, beyond this point, remain loyal to both sides.  You are valuable to me, it is true, and I do not wish to have to kill you.  But not invaluable, your little assistant seems competent, for all she is a mudblood."  Voldemort's mouth was cruel, his eyes glittering with malice.  Hermione said nothing, but she stood straight and looked Voldemort in his eyes.  She couldn't quail now.  She wouldn't.  

Snape, it seemed, decided that his charade was over.  His next words were spoken unfalteringly, "I have not been torn between two sides since I turned to Dumbledore.  It is to him my loyalties lie, as well you know."

"You admit to being a traitor?"  Voldemort accused, his voice now full of malicious fury, but again, no surprise.  He knew, and was angry.  

"I was a traitor to my beliefs the moment I joined you twenty years ago.  I have not been one in nineteen of those years."  Snape spoke softly and clearly.  Even though Hermione knew Voldemort couldn't afford to kill Snape, because he needed to know about the potion, she was afraid for him. 

As Voldemort said, "My use for you is running quickly out.  You had better find some respect, or you will end up under Crucio!" 

"I can't brew a potion if I'm under Crucio," Snape said coolly, as Hermione wondered if he was going too far, "and you need me, at least for this one potion.  You still have use for me, loath as you are to admit it."  

"There are other ways to hurt you, Snape, of that you may be sure.  There are those you love."  Voldemort's gaze was cruel, but Snape's smile was ironically sour.  As he opened his mouth, no doubt to respond, Voldemort continued, "There are.  Your little assistant here… or student, or lover, or whatever you choose to call her today, will do very well for a start."  

Snape stiffened, no doubt to object, but Hermione cut in smoothly, feeling that she had remained silent for too long.  "The potion you want him to brew takes at least two with experience.  He couldn't do it alone, and I'm sure none of _your_ fan club would be capable of understanding the _complexities_ of the potion."

"So the girl speaks," Voldemort interjected, a cruel smile playing on her lips, "How amusing.  But enough of this nonsense!  You will return to the cell you were in, for now.  Tomorrow, you will brew the vampire potion for me.  Do it incorrectly, well, the Dementors need feeding.  If you brew the potion properly, then you will _both_ have a place here, brewing potions as I see fit.  The specialities of my deatheaters lie in… _other_ areas.  Take them away!"

Hermione and Snape were marched back down to the dungeons.  It was still freezing cold, and they had assumed their old positions after ten minutes, Hermione huddled next to Snape, his arm around her shoulders.  

"Professor?" Hermione asked tentatively.  

For the third time that trip when she had said 'professor,' he looked hesitant.  Then, with an air of decision, he said, "Hermione, I am hardly your professor at the moment.  It would be more appropriate for you to call me by my given name."  

"Um-" Hermione began, not quite sure what to say, but Snape reminded her,

"It's Severus, in case you did not know."  

"I know that!" Hermione said exasperatedly, treating him for a moment like she would a friend, and then realising it.  "Um, sorry."  

Snape actually smiled.  "You had a question?"

"Yes.  How can we do the potion if we don't have our wands?  I mean, the wand-work is complex, and Voldemort surely can't expect…"

"He won't.  He will give us our wands when we need them to brew the potion, after having placed sufficient guards on the room, and probably gained some sort of hold over us."

"Like what?" Hermione asked tentatively, suddenly worried.

"Probably either a friend of yours or your parents," Severus said as gently as he could.

"Oh," Hermione said, thinking hard.  Dumbledore had told her that he would put her parents under protection for the duration of the holiday, and Snape obviously knew that.  He didn't mention it, though, so perhaps he didn't want Voldemort to know- this was so hard, trying to anticipate what Snape would prefer that she left unsaid, and what it would be prudent to say.  

"I'm sure there's a way around it," Hermione said distantly, fingering her necklace.  There had to be a way.  Perhaps Dumbledore could create a… what was it called?  A copy of her parents, a… oh, the word was there, but just out of reach.  Well, if Dumbledore had created copies… simulacrums! … of her parents, Voldemort should hopefully not know the difference, although Hermione herself would.  Which was one obstacle out of the way.  So how could they escape?

They would have their wands, but not the power of Apparation.  They couldn't talk together and plan it out, that was for certain.  They had her potions, but what exactly was there?  A variety of sleeping potions, stunning potions, an invisibility potion, one lending strength, another courage, a sample of polyjuice… there was enough to be of use, at any rate.  There were the beginnings of an idea forming, the means, but not the end.  Oh well, she could sleep on it.  It wasn't as though she was lacking in time.  

Hermione did actually find herself drowsing off against Severus.  It really was quite comfortable here.  In fact, a short doze was looking very appealing…

_~*~*~_

Hermione awoke to the sound of the door opening again.  In came another deatheater clad in black, bearing a tray of food, of all things.  Hermione sat up properly, and saw that Severus was awake.  He said, "If we are to remain alive, I suggest you bring some more substantial clothing.  We will freeze, and I am quite sure that we will be of no use to your master as icicles."  

"I will look into it," the man said coldly.  He set down the tray, and hurried from the room.  Severus went to the tray, and Hermione stood and followed him, realising quite suddenly that she was very hungry.  

The tray had food, if you used the term loosely, on two plates, and what appeared to be mud in two chipped mugs.  "Five-star service, I see," Hermione commented, in an attempt to lighten the situation.  

"Always the best for Voldemort's prisoners," Severus said absently as he looked over the food.  Then he sat back with a smirk.  "I am not a Potions' master for nothing!"

"They drugged the food, I take it?"  

"Naturally.  Amateur work, I must say, apparent at first sight.  Go on then, girl, see if you can identify the concoctions used."

Hermione smiled, liking the challenge.  "Well, they put something into the coffee, I'm presuming it's coffee, which thickened it up, kept the same brown colour, and does not react to the coffee itself.  It can't alter the flavour too much, otherwise we'd notice it before drinking it all down, so it has to be 'dormiensa.'  You know, the names people come up with for potions are generally really boring, aren't they?  They can't even use Latin properly!  Anyway, on the- I'm guessing it's chicken- is another potion.  It alters the appearance to a darker colour, has a smell of… mustard, and it's quite thin.  Designed to curb our responses and make us trusting, it's the 'cavere numquam.'  Then there's the 'volere dedere' on the bread, and then 'nullus evadire' on the cutlery itself."

"_Very_ good, Hermione.  I wasn't expecting you to catch any of those.  I suggest we consume nothing but the coffee… that, I think, will be most prudent."

"Okay, then," Hermione said.  She picked up her mug and, with an encouraging look from Severus, swallowed the mixture in one gulp.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that he did the same.  

_~*~*~_

She found herself in a considerably warmer room, with an incredible need to relieve herself.  Glancing around, she saw that Snape was still asleep.  Thankful for that, she went to the toilet in the corner that was devoid of any coverings for modesty, and used it.  Then she returned to where Snape was, reluctant to wake him, and gazed around the room.

It was warmer than the dungeon room.  The walls were white, and the floor was wooden, not made of stone.  They must be on an upper floor, then.  There was a single door leading off the room, and no windows.  There was a cauldron set up on the far side, with fire underneath, and a nearby table covered in potion ingredients.  Next to the table was her wand!  She ran over to collect it, and felt a wave of relief once she had it in her hand.  She hadn't realised just how vulnerable she had felt without it.  

Once over there, Hermione noticed that a few of the key ingredients for the potion were missing, and there was no knife to get the blood.  It would seem that Voldemort didn't know the full extent of the ingredients needed for the potion; that could be useful.  And then she noticed that Snape's wand wasn't there.  Pocketing her own wand, she went back to Severus with a sigh.  Perhaps they could get it later.  She didn't hold out much hope.  

Her professor was on the floor, but he was breathing regularly, and looked so peaceful that Hermione decided that she wouldn't wake him.  He probably wouldn't thank her for it, but he would need his wits about him if they were to escape.  In the meantime, she should really find out what wards were in place on this room.  A quick wave of her wand and a spell that had come in infinitely useful over the past few years showed her exactly what was in place over the room.  A listening spell was keyed to the whole room and to Hermione herself, which was interesting.  Why not to Snape?  Then it became obvious.  Hermione could remove the wards on the room, if not easily, but she couldn't remove the spell on herself.  Only another person could do that magic, and Snape didn't have a wand.  It was highly unlikely that Snape would be compatible with her wand, because, for all Voldemort's deatheaters knew, he didn't like Hermione, he hadn't in the same house as Hermione at Hogwarts, and all he had in common with her was this potion.  

Voldemort's servants were skimping on the spells.  There was also a heating spell on the room, with a watching charm woven in.  That was clever; if they took the watching charm off, they would freeze to death.  It was of a kind that was hard to do, as well- Hermione could take it off and put it back on, but she couldn't separate the watching from the warmth; to do that would need a magical amplifier of some sort.  There was an overall spell preventing Apparation that was keyed into the very foundations of the castle, so that was out.  Then there were plenty of wards on the doors, ones that prevented escape and wearing down of the door, plus strength reinforcing spells.  

Well, what Hermione _could_ do was remove some of the escaping wards on the door and the listening spell on the room.  She couldn't do anything about the watching spell or the spell on her, but she would try to see what Snape could do when he awoke.  Which he was doing now.

Snape's eyes were opening, and when he saw her he grimaced, probably in an attempt to smile.  He got to his feet, ignoring the hand that Hermione held out for him, and, with a better smile this time, headed for the corner of the room that Hermione had made use of when she woke.  Hermione hastily turned her back, trying to stop the blushing. Then, realising she was being silly, she went over to the cauldron to see what they had.  

Snape joined her a moment later in regarding the ingredients.  "We'll need the garlic flower, a knife, our wands, wolfsbane, hemlock, and mint leaves."  

Hermione nodded, not saying anything about the addition of hemlock, which was _not_ used in the potion.  "Yes.  Oh, and I have my wand.  It was lying on the table, but yours isn't there."

Snape raised his eyebrows, his eyes saying more than the next words he uttered, "If they think we can do this potion with just one wand, they're mistaken."

"I know that, we'll have to talk to old Voldie when we get the chance."  Hermione grinned at him, and his smile in return was less forced than his first two.  "Before you woke up, I noted a couple of spells on the room.  I removed the overall listening spell, and a couple of wards on the door."  

"I see.  I take it there were more that you did not or could not remove?"  

Snape was using his professorial voice, which prompted Hermione to answer with a "Yes sir."

"Very well.  This may sound impertinent, but I have no other choice.  May I see your wand, to find out if it will work for me?"

Hermione handed it over at once, not surprised.  On normal occasions, it was extremely rare for a wizard to handle the wand of another, much less use it.  However, this was hardly a normal situation.  

Snape took her wand, and muttered a spell that Hermione couldn't hear.  That was a good thing, because it meant that whoever was on the receiving end of the listening spell on her couldn't hear it either.  Then he turned to her, face downcast, and said, "No.  It didn't work."  

Hermione would have believed him if it weren't for the gleam in his eyes.

A/N And so it's the end of the second part, with no real fluff as of yet.  But don't worry; the third of four parts will be up soon, with fluff for everyone… well maybe.  But leave a review and you'll find out…


	3. Plans

A/N I want to thank everyone, again, for the reviews I've been getting.  I honestly didn't know what to expect, what with the varied responses from my other fics and branching into a completely new pairing and type of story.  In answer to the question as to why they both decided to find a cure for vampires; firstly, I was sick of the werewolf thing.  Vampires are surely just as much of a problem, but J K Rowling doesn't focus on them because their condition is permanent and Harry doesn't happen to have any vampire professors (unsurprisingly).  Vampires are a more pressing problem in the magical world, because they're vampires 24/7, while werewolves are only that for one night a month.  Anyway, that's one questions answered. As to the other… there's a little fluff here… but I'm not sure quite how OOC it is.  I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please R/R.  You'll make my day! 

Hermione looked outwardly downcast, hiding the glee she felt.  So her wand was compatible with Severus!   That could mean a lot of things, but the only important one at the moment was that they had a serious advantage, with a wand that they could both use.  They obviously couldn't Apparate, because of the countless wards on the place, but they were definitely ahead, regardless.

Severus's voice snapped Hermione out of her reverie.  "May I suggest you remove the watching spell on the room?  And then you can reinstate the heating charm, at least on ourselves if not on the whole room."

"I'll do it, then.  I didn't want to do that without checking with you first."  

Hermione did take off the watching spell on the room.  To her surprise, the temperature didn't seem any different, which was peculiar.  Snape was, however, was shivering, so she put a warming charm on him.  Then, as she was about do perform one on herself, she realised that she couldn't do that particular spell to herself.  

"The only heating spell I know won't work if I do it on myself, Severus," she stumbled over the unfamiliar spoken use of his first name, but hurried quickly on, "are there any others that I can do to keep me warm?"

"I didn't think about that," Snape lied, his eyes once more giving him away.  "Well, you could either replace the watching spell, or we could… share body warmth."

Hermione realised several things simultaneously.  The first, that Snape had evidently put a warming charm on her when he had tested her wand, as well as checking to see what spells were on the room.  The second, that he didn't want to remove the listening charm on Hermione, and neither did he want Voldemort to know that he knew about it.  The third was that he had something to tell her.  The fourth was that she actually wanted to sit close to Severus and 'share body warmth.'  She wanted the comfort, the security, and the relaxation that his arms brought on.

Even as she was thinking these things, she said, "That's better than a watching spell, after all." And she moved to him.

There was a knock on the door.  Hermione stood, Snape next to her, both wanting to be prepared for whatever would be thrown at them next.  To their great surprise, it was Voldemort who appeared, not messengers to bring them to him.  He was followed by a bodyguard of two deatheaters, who stood menacingly by the door.

Voldemort gave no introduction.  "I need you to make potions for me.  You will start with the antidote for vampirism, which you will test yourselves, locked in a room with a vampire.  _If _you do not displease me, I will allow the both of you to live and make potions for our cause.  Otherwise, you will die."  The unspoken word, 'painfully,' hung in the air.  "And now.  You, girl, have your wand.  Your professor does not, and that is how it will remain.  I do not care what you said in your carefully contrived conversation; you will not be getting your wand back, Snape.  Neither will you be getting the hemlock.  It may not be a conventional potion, granted, but I am not ignorant.  You will not get your knife, either.  And you, mudblood, will replace the wards you took off this room, or face the alternative."  

"No."  Hermione said simply.  

"You disagree?" Voldemort's voice was calm, and amused.

"I do.  I _will_ brew the potion for you, only because you would find the recipe for it sooner or later, but there will be no listening or viewing wards on this room.  I have taken them off, and they will remain that way."  

"So you say.  I have always found emotional pain to be the most influential.  How would you like to see your precious parents hurt?"

"You can't lay a finger on my parents."

"Perhaps.  We will see about that."

Snape hadn't said anything up until now.  Now he did.  "Her parents cannot be involved in this, Voldemort.  You know as I do that they are untouchable.  Dumbledore doesn't do things by halves.  We will do this potion for you, but I will require every one of the ingredients I named previously.  Hemlock is an integral part of the potion, and the knife is extremely important for adding blood."

"Do not treat me as if I am stupid, Snape.  May I remind you that it was _you_ who caught yourselves in the net I so carefully laid?  I have monitored the items you have bought for the past six months.  Hemlock was not among them, and is not a part of the supplies you keep on hand. You will receive the other supplies, including the knife.  Oh.  You will reinstate the viewing charm, Hermione.  Not even the bed of your beloved teacher can keep you warm in the temperature _this_ room can reach."  

With a cruel smile and a flick of his wand, Hermione's clothes, insufficient as they already were, disappeared.  He wanted her to freeze, then.  And he swept out, uttering a laugh as he did so.

"Bastard," Hermione said, not looking at Severus.  She wasn't cold, so Voldemort evidently didn't know about the warming charm that Severus had placed on her.  Embarrassed, though, was another matter.  

"He is, actually."  Had she been looking at Snape, she would have seen the slight blush on his face.   As it was, she heard the click as he unclasped his cloak, and then felt the smooth, soft material as he gave it wordlessly to her.

She murmured a thanks as she took it and put it on.  Thankfully, it was long enough to cover everything.  Then they sat on the hard, cold floor, Hermione once again leaning against Snape.  With a slight smile, she handed him her wand and mouthed 'parchment.'  He nodded, smiled, and said something softly so that she couldn't hear.  Then there was parchment, and two quills.  He grinned, handed her back her wand and a quill, and then wrote on the parchment:

_Say something to cover up our silence._

Hermione smiled, nodded, and then said, "I'm really, really tired.  Do you mind if I lean against you, only…" she allowed her voice to trail off.  

"That's fine.  I need to think."  Hermione smiled again, and wrote:

**Is there any way out whatsoever?**

There are multiple ways.  Each is as difficult as the last, each as unlikely to work, but each possible nonetheless. But first…

Severus said, "Perhaps, Hermione, before you sleep, you might like to cast a spell that will warn us as the door opens.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to be surprised by Voldemort."

"Sure."  Hermione said the spell, and then, "And now can I sleep?"  She spoke petulantly, like a whining child, and saw him smile again.  

"Of course."  And then on the paper…

If you're not intending to sleep?

**Very amusing.  Of course I'm not.  **

Good.  We were discussing escape plans, I believe?

**I have beginnings of ideas, but no definite plan.  First… can Voldemort have any way of finding this?**

Not if we destroy this parchment before he comes.  He will not know that we are even writing this, rest assured.  Now, you had ideas?

**Not really… just parts.  Do you want to know the potions on my necklace?**

Yes.

Hermione listed what she had, and how much of each.  Once she had finished, Severus nodded and sat back, clearly thinking.  At last, he wrote:

Well, at least we can make a start.  Firstly, why don't we brew this potion so it does not work?  When Voldemort makes us test it, we can do so using your potion, so it seems that it will work.  Voldemort will not notice the change, because he will not test the potion himself.  The vampires are his allies; he has no reason to change them back.  

**It sounds good… but it will be hard to switch the potions without V. knowing.  Can't we just brew the full potion?  It won't make much difference, seeing as Voldie won't be using it anyway.  That way we still have the potion on us for backup, in case V. does set a vampire on us.  **

Ordinarily, yes, but… what if we were to brew the potion that boils off to leave Floo powder?  It will take the wolfsbane and mint leaves to brew… the mint leaves we can maybe request more of, but wolfsbane is not a common potions ingredient.  If we brew the vampire potion without the wolfsbane then we have the wolfsbane on hand to brew the Floo once he has begun to trust us enough to relax some of his watch and move his deatheaters to positions other than spying on us.  

**That is a good idea.  And we can use the stasis potions I've got to stun the guards, and the Polyjuice so you can impersonate one of them!**

It is all possible, Hermione.  However, this is all at least three weeks away.  We will not get back to Hogwarts before school starts.  This is, you know, very dangerous.  If you don't want to escap-

Before he had even finished writing the word, Hermione pushed his hand aside and wrote:

**Don't even write it.  You know it's useless.   We're escaping, and I'm not ****going to chicken out, thankyou very much!  If you're insulting my courage-**

This time, Snape pushed her hand away, but more gently than she had pushed his.  

Very clever.  Your tactics will not work, though, Hermione.  I speak honestly when I say-

**You can stop speaking honestly and being 'noble!'   As much as I admire you, Professor Snape, you're too overprotective!  Aren't we, for the moment, partners?  Besides, we both stand to lose more if we allow ourselves to remain captive here.  Sooner or later, Voldemort will convince a potion-brewer to his side, eliminating our use.  **

Very well, Miss Granger. 

**I thought we'd stopped with the formal titles?**

We had until you decided to bring them back.  

Severus smiled at her, and she smiled back, shaking her head at him.  

**Okay, okay.  Is there anything else of importance?**

Not that I can think of at the moment.

**Good.  In that case, I'll artistically wake up and we'll make a start on the potion.  Where do you plan on concealing the mint and the wolfsbane that we won't use?**

A pocket of my robes, spelled to blend in with them.  

**Good.  **

Hermione stretched and yawned loudly.  

"This floor really isn't very comfortable.  I don't suppose old Voldie'll give us mattresses or something?"

"Only one way to find out," Severus said, smiling thinly once more.  Hermione didn't know what had made Snape change so drastically from the way he had been only a month before.  It seemed that the more danger was in the situation the calmer he was.  His light-hearted attitude did wonders to soothe Hermione, and she knew it.  She knew that this situation was much more dangerous that it appeared, and Snape was playing it down greatly.  It was not every day that you got kidnapped by the most dangerous bloodthirsty wizard in centuries.  Yet Snape had come up with a plan for their escape, had comforted her with his nonchalant manner, had praised her for her thinking, and had stood up to Voldemort. 

Snape stood, and went over to the door.  He pounded on it, and stepped back.  The door opened, and in came two deatheaters, both with wands outstretched.

"Ah, Phillips again.  How good to see you.  I was just having words with Hermione, here.  She is in agreement with me that if we are to brew these potions for your master, we will need a few items.  Namely, two mattresses, chairs to sit on, changes of robes for both of us, and a shower installed.  There are, of course, more, but those will suffice for the moment.  Oh, and blankets and pillow?  Understood?"

"You're not in charge here, Snape," the man called Phillips growled.  

"No, but I have slightly more influence than you, my dear doorman."

Phillips glowered.  Turning on his heel, he marched out.  His friend followed, and closed the door after him.  Severus turned back to Hermione; his smile rather larger than it ought to be.  

"I enjoyed that." He said, almost happily for the feared Potions Master.

"I noticed."  Hermione grinned.  "Feel good?"

"Very." Snape said with feeling.  "What do you think the odds are we'll get it?"

"Probably quite high.  The requests aren't extravagant… you should've asked for a hot tub."  

"I think that's going a little far," Snape said, smiling still.  

"Perhaps.  Anyway, you want to get started on the vampire potion?  Ah, we'll need a second cauldron, too."

"Yes.  Well, we can begin with just one, anyway.  I'm sure our requests will be complied with soon."

They fell to, chopping ingredients and brewing the potion.  "This will take about a week to brew, won't it?"

"I should think so."  Severus said, and then, "Be careful with those roots!"

"Yes sir," Hermione said, face bland.  It seemed that Professor Snape was never far away.

~*~*~

The deatheaters did bring beds, chairs, and changes of robes for them later on that day.  Half an hour afterwards they brought a cauldron, and all of the ingredients Snape had previously requested, including the hemlock.  They also brought a knife.  

Five days later, the fake vampire potion was prepared, looking and smelling exactly like the real vampire potion. The deatheaters had come twice a day, bringing food and asking once a day about the state of the potion.  

Severus and Hermione debated for quite a while, on parchment, as to how they could use the real vampire potion without anybody noticing.  At last, they decided to conceal half of the potion each in their hands with a couple of interesting charms that Severus suggested, and to slip it into the potion they were given to test on the vampire.  That way, they could administer the real potion to the vampire in the fake potion.  And then they tested it out.

~*~*~

Hermione was told to administer a spoonful of the potion to a vampire that would be set on her, while Snape was to watch.  And then they were both led into the room next to the one they had been held prisoner in for so long.  There was a vampire in there, held against the wall with ropes that were quickly becoming looser and looser.  The deatheaters shoved them in and fled, locking the door behind them.  Hermione, taking a deep breath, opened the glass bottle that the new potion had been put in.  She inconspicuously slipped the potion in her hand into the glass bottle, all the while watching the vampire.  

It shook free of its ropes, and began advancing on her.  Hermione, for the fourth time, held the potion bottle ready, waiting for an opening.  The vampire bared its teeth, and leapt.  Hermione threw the potion.  And missed.

Her heart was pounding; she didn't even have half a bottle of potion left.  The vampire was still in midair; its eyes were mad with fury and blood lust.  Taking another deep breath, she threw the rest of the potion at it, aiming for its mouth, praying she wouldn't miss.  Otherwise they would be in big trouble.  

The potion flew through the air, in seeming slow motion.  The vampire also moved, taking years to come closer.  And then the potion made contact, on the vampire's blood-red lips.  It swallowed and continued on, crashing into Hermione.  She screamed, and leapt back, but the vampire made no move to follow.  It was on the floor.  It was human.  

Severus had jumped forward, and was holding her now.  Everything seemed surreal, and Hermione felt a searing pain.  At her neck.  Had the vampire…?  The world was spinning, going dark…

Hermione was leaning against Severus weakly, his hand over her lips. There was a nasty taste in her mouth.  It tasted like the potion smelled. Had she…?  She looked up at Severus, who was still holding her tightly to him.  His eyes were panicked, but they calmed once they looked into hers and saw that she was human and alive.  Suddenly, she went limp.  A vampire had bitten her and she was normal.  Severus had saved her.  His hand moved from her mouth, and his arms loosened, as if to let her go.  She turned, though, and flung her own arms around him.  

He held her for a moment, patting her back soothingly, before slowly pushing her away.

"It was successful," he told her softly.  "We need to look at the vampire."  

She nodded, and realised that Voldemort could not know about what had just happened.  She went to the slumped form on the floor, the one that had bitten her before the potion took effect.  It was a boy, a boy of about eight, by the looks of it.  He was shaking and sobbing.  Hermione immediately stooped down to comfort him, much in the same way that Severus had done to her.  He clung to her, crying, and she held him and murmured soft, soothing, meaningless words to him until he quieted.  

"It's okay, you're okay," Hermione said softly, looking down at the small form clinging to her.  

"I… I…" he was taking great, sobbing breaths, trying hard to calm himself.  "It was… oh…" he burst out crying again and Hermione once more found herself calming him.  She looked up at Severus.  He was looking down at the child, staring at him grimly.  Then he purposely strode towards the door, and banged on it.

It was a while before the door was opening.  In the duration, Hermione had succeeded in calming the child enough to get his name, Benjamin, and to find out bits and pieces about him.  He was, in fact, nine.  He was of wizarding parents, and, from what Hermione gathered, he had been a vampire for about five months.  

When the deatheaters came, Snape spoke to them commandingly, the exact words lost to Hermione as she continued to comfort the sobbing child.  He never seemed to run out of tears.  Then Severus came and took Benjamin off her, speaking softly and soothingly to him, and handed him over to the deatheaters.  Then the door closed, and Severus came back to Hermione.  He sat next to her, close, but not quite touching.

"I told them that if they don't take the child back to his parents, we will suddenly become very uncooperative.  They'll take him back."

"Good.  He- Benjamin- it was so sad!"  

"I know."  Severus nodded his head. And then, "How are you?"

"I'm fine.  Tired, but fine."

"It wasn't for long.  I was praying that you'd be okay."  Severus's voice was frank, and his manner more open than she had ever seen it.  

"Um… thankyou."  Hermione didn't quite know what to say.  She showed him instead, instinctively wrapping her arms around him.  It wasn't unnatural or uncomfortable, and, by that, Hermione realised that Severus was no longer the strict, powerful, dark Potions Master he had been, but rather a complex man, just as capable of emotions as she, but able to suppress them, to use them, and, most of all, to put her safety and comfort above his own.  He wasn't her teacher any more.  He wasn't even her partner, or her ally.  He was a friend.

He held her, and hugged her back, and somewhere in there Hermione felt his fears.  He had been afraid for her.  He was angry with himself, for not preventing this.  He was angry with Voldemort.  He was worried, scared, and hiding it all.  

Then he withdrew, gently moving her arms from around him.  "Let's go back next door, shall we?"

Hermione nodded, and stood.  She grinned at Severus, still on the floor, and helped him up, before walking towards the door.  Before she could knock on it, though, it opened.  Deatheaters again.  

Severus pulled Hermione back, away from the door and regarded the tall man coolly.  "I see you make an appearance, Malfoy."  

The cloaked figure pulled down his hood, revealing the sneering face of Lucius Malfoy.  Hermione restrained her sudden urge to ask him to pull it back down again.  Aggravating him, no matter how fun, was probably not the best of ideas in these circumstances.  

"I do indeed."  Malfoy smirked at Snape.  "I see you are the traitor I believed you to be from the very beginning.  Grovelling at Dumbledore's boots; I might have known.  You are, of course, not escaping from here to pass any more information on to you master."  Malfoy's smirk was victorious now, his eyes gleaming with malice.  

"Did Voldemort send you here to gloat, Malfoy?" Snape asked calmly.  

Malfoy glared at him and snapped out, "I do believe your famous tongue is quite losing its touch.  My son has told me that you are softening. It is indeed true.  My lord wishes me to tell you the vampire potion must be bottled for him by tonight.  You are then to get to work brewing energy and stamina potions."

"If you say so."  Snape's voice was carefully bored.

"I do."  Malfoy was obviously irritated now. "Come."

~*~*~

They bottled the vampire potion that afternoon, and made sure the ingredients they elected not to use were hidden.  Voldemort did not come to see them again.  Instead, his deatheaters came every day, bringing food, and telling them which potions to make.  Snape and Hermione made them perfectly, saving up the ingredients for floo powder bit by bit.  

The days fell into routine.  Hermione would wake up on her mattress-on-the-floor.  She would get up as Severus did.  As soon as they awoke, breakfast was brought in.  It was invariably bread and milk, but they ate it nonetheless.  Then they would spend most of the morning brewing potions of increasing complexity for Voldemort.  Snape would take the time to teach Hermione new things about potions.  She learned more in one morning in Voldemort's castle than she ever had before, both practical and theoretical that she had never before heard of.  In the afternoons, Snape would help her keep up with all her classes at Hogwarts, a thing she did almost religiously.   

Hermione came to respect him as she never had before, but it was more than just respect.  He was no longer the condescending professor, or the aloof potions master she had worked with on the vampire potion.  He was now like he had been the night they had tested the vampire potion; he was calm, protective, logical, and encouraging.  Hermione had a feeling that Snape softened and suppressed his sarcastic ironic sense of humour around her now, but every so often in surfaced.  At some times it made her cringe, and at others it made her laugh, but it was an integral part of him.  He used his own peculiar brand of humour to make the best of the situation, to seemingly lighten it even as he acknowledged its seriosity.  

Hermione didn't know when it happened.  She had no idea when her feelings for him changed, but they did change.  Almost a week before Christmas, she realised that she didn't think of Severus as a friend anymore.  He was, dare she say it, almost a… well, perhaps the best term was 'crush.'  It was the attention he paid her, her mind babbled on, or no, it was just that he was the only male here.  He was probably married, he was twice her age, no, it wasn't possible, she was crazy.  

But somehow, sometime she came to accept it.  She liked him, no big deal.  Maybe she would initiate a deeper relationship, maybe she wouldn't.  She was eighteen, and that counted as adult even by muggle standards.  She would act normally.  She could do it.  No problem.

At last, they accumulated all the ingredients for the potion to make Floo powder.  And they began to brew it.  The potion would take a week to brew, and to turn it into powder and perform the necessary charms a further five days.  It was three days until Christmas.  Even if this worked, they couldn't get back to Hogwarts before term started.  If it didn't, well, they might never get back.  The one certainty they had was that Voldemort had no hold over them.  Snape appeared to have no family or friends that he cared for outside of Hogwarts.  Hermione's grandparents were dead, her parents were under Dumbledore's protection, and her friends were at school over the holidays.  Her father was an only child, and her mother had a sister that Hermione had not seen since she was two years old.  Her mother and her aunt had fallen out.  Thus, there was nobody for Voldemort to threaten.  He did not need to, anyway.  On the surface, Hermione and Severus were both obedient to Voldemort's wishes.

The next two days were the same as the days before, with little incidents standing out in her mind.  Her hair-tie had broken midway through stirring the Floo Potion in its first, most crucial stage, her wild hair escaping its constraints.  Snape had stood behind her, his hands gently holding her hair out of the way as she finished stirring.  

There was the end of the first stage, when the potion turned the appropriate shade of green indicating that it needed to simmer for half an hour.  She'd laughed happily and hugged him before she even realised what she was doing, and, seeing as he hugged her back, she pretended not to be self-conscious.  

The things that affected her most, however, happened of Christmas Eve.  The deatheaters came once more with food and questions, and Severus dealt with them as calmly and coolly as he usually did.  Once they had left, as Hermione smiled at him, Snape did the most peculiar thing yet.  He flushed slightly and avoided her eyes.  

That was enough for Hermione.  It was her first real indication that Severus liked her as more than a student, more than a friend, and much less platonically than a daughter.  Never backwards in going forwards, she decided on her plan while brewing a simple pain-relief potion for Voldemort, gazing at Severus, who was working on the Floo potion.  She would take the initiative tomorrow, Christmas day, and see how it worked out.  Quelling her nervous excitement, Hermione added the last of the ingredients to the cauldron.  She would not let herself back out tomorrow.  

~*~*~

"Merry Christmas, Severus," Hermione said as he woke up.  He smiled up at her, drowsy still in the early morning.  

"Merry Christmas yourself." He replied softly.  "I have no present for you." His smile was weak, his eyes almost wistful.

"Well, I have one for you!" Hermione said, grinning at him.

"You do?" his eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, it's nothing material," Hermione reassured him, smiling still, but nervously now. "But rather, something to let you know you're appreciated.  I know a lot you've done for us _and_ for me alone, believe it or not.  You've… become to me more than just a respected professor to be admired.  More, even, than a friend."  

Ordering her nerves to calm themselves, she bent down until she was in front of his curious face, and kissed his lips softly.  There was complete silence.  Hermione withdrew, smiled at him, and walked calmly over to the cauldron on the other side of the room.  How would he react?  If Severus reacted extremely negatively, she could always pretend it was a joke. That would defy the whole purpose of taking the initiative here, but… well, if she could get out of this situation with her pride intact it was more than she dared hope for.  With luck, though, he wouldn't react unfavourably.  The look in his eyes as she had kissed him had told her that he was surprised, yes, but not unhappy with the turn of events.  There was a touch on her shoulders, and she turned, stomach suddenly flipping.  _Why_ had she done it?

"Why?"  It was a question, and his face was blank.  Hermione didn't dare look into his eyes, dreading to see what the reply there would be.  

"Because I wanted to.  Because I like you a lot, and because I want you to know that."

"Ah.  Hermione- no.  It can't… we can't… you're a student."

"Not here I'm not," Hermione said firmly.  Later, she would wonder where she got the courage to do this; right now, she put all her energy into persuasion.  "Now, at least here, we're equals.  You're my teacher at Hogwarts, true enough, but we're not at Hogwarts."

"That makes no difference.  The wishes of both of us aside, it can't be!  You're young-" Severus was trying to school his brain to work.  It was too early, that was the excuse he gave.  

"I'm legally adult.  And I should hope I'm not as immature as some of my age." Hermione finally looked up into his eye, daring him to accept her for what she was.

"True- but you're still so much younger.  And it's Hogwarts custom, Hogwarts' rules, even, that-"

"I graduate from Hogwarts this year.  In less than two terms, actually.  I knew enough to graduate last year, and you know it."

"You knew enough to graduate in your fifth year." Snape said ruefully.  "That is beside the point.  You remain a Hogwarts student, and as such it would be greatly immoral of me to-"

"Do you like me?"

"But-"

"Do you like me?"  There was a dangerous note in Hermione's voice now.  It was all or nothing.  

"Yes, but-"

"Am I, at the moment and in present circumstances, a student?"

"No." 

"Am I underage?"

"You're of legal age in the muggle community, yes." Severus seemed to be schooling his thoughts.  "However-"

Hermione interrupted him again.  "Can we finish this first, please?  What issues stand in the way?"

"The wizarding age of adulthood-"

"Don't even _try_ it, Severus.  I read, remember?  The age is flexible, depending on circumstances and the person involved. I fit the 'sixteen' category.  And you know it."

"Very well."  His face was blank, but his eyes showed the emotion his face would not.  

"If it weren't for your morality qualms, would you object?  The age difference, or whatever it is that you're worried about."  Hermione had no idea where this self-assured aspect of herself was coming from.  Her common sense was cowering and quivering, demanding that she flee and hide.  Some strange, suicidal tendency in her would not let go, though.  

"Technically-"

"Severus!"

"No."  He admitted defeat.  

"So is there a problem?" 

"Hermione, what happened to you?" He was, however, smiling ruefully.

She grinned at him, happy that the matter was resolved.  "You."

"Ah."

"So you're willing to try and make this work?"

Snape raised an eyebrow, and then smiled at her.  "You win.  This round.  But when we get back to Hogwarts…"

"Then it might be different."

"Might?"

"Might."  She said it matter-of-factly.  "In the meantime, I claim my prize."  Her grin was almost feral as she kissed him.  Snape, this time, did not complain.  In fact, she thought he rather enjoyed it.  

_~*~*~_

The Floo potion was finished the next day, Boxing Day.  The problem now was to get the powder, which meant boiling the potion at very high temperatures to get rid of the water quickly.  UHT, Hermione thought flippantly, excited at the prospect of escape.  Severus performed the necessary charms to raise the temperature of the fire, while Hermione hummed to herself so she would not hear Severus say the charm. 

Thirty minutes, and three sheets of parchment, later, they had come up with the finishing touches of the plan.  The 'conversation' went as follows:

**When will the Floo powder be ready?**

It will be ready to use in five days, give or take an hour or so.

**So we'll be getting out of here in five days?**

It would perhaps be better if we escaped in seven days.  Voldemort cannot expect anything, and we must have two potions in progress after we escape.

**Unless… Severus, would Voldemort be likely to come in this room once he finds we've gone?**

Yes.  He will not trust the deatheaters when he himself has the ability to double-check.  Why do you ask?

**If we have something toxic in the potion, we can weaken or even kill him.**

Any deatheaters entering the room before he does will be immediately aware of it.  

**Perhaps not.  Will Voldemort want to check what the potions are?  We could make it so the potions react to whoever stirs them after such an amount of time, giving off fumes… could we?**

_Theoretically, yes.  This might take some thinking over.  Did you have other ideas?_

**They run along the lines of: kill Voldemort, escape, graduate from Hogwarts, and live happily ever after with a prince of my choosing.  **

For the moment, we'll leave the last part of your future  undiscussed.  Let's go with escape-and-kill-Voldemort.  If you have nothing specific in mind, then, think this over.  Add an onion, some cedar wood, and a drop of honey to a simple energy potion, and it will immediately give off fumes potent enough to put a troll out cold.

**We could devise a plan to make those three ingredients drop into the cauldron the moment Voldemort enters?**

Not keyed to him, precisely.  But keyed to something he has sole possession of, perhaps.  

**Does he drink unicorn's blood still?**  Hermione's recalled Harry's first-year description.  

No, but unicorn's blood leaves a mark on a person… yes, that's perfect.  In fact, I even know the charm we could use.

**And then, what do we do with him when he's out-cold on the floor?  We'll be at Hogwarts, won't we?**

True.  Unless… Severus paused for a minute, deep concentration on his face.  Then he wrote:  We could incorporate into the potion a temporary loss of power… just while he unconscious, any ongoing spells will cease to be working.  The apparition ban is an ongoing spell… once the ban is removed, we can Apparate back here, and do whatever Dumbledore decides to do to his Lordship.

Hermione smiled. Partly, is was because the plan seemed that it would work, but mostly because it seemed that Snape was able even to write sarcastically.  

**It sounds good to me.  How soon can we brew this potion?**

It will take two to three days.  Assuming you can last that long.

Hermione decided to ignore him.  **Good.  If we have all the ingredients, let's start. **

Hermione learned even more over the next three days.  She had only done very basic adaptation in the past, and even then it was in working on potions for her own interest.  Adaptation was something generally left to universities to cover, mainly because it had the potential to blow up half of Hogwarts.  With only a minor mistake.

The energy potion that Severus had said was simple was not precisely so.  Hermione could have made it without Severus's help, she thought, but including the loss of power properties was something that she could not have done.  Then the extra ingredients had to be ground up, and Severus put a charm in place so that when Voldemort entered the room the ingredients would drop into the potion.  That was done and settled, and there were still two days to go.

Those two days were, perhaps, the most frustrating of all for Hermione.  There was nothing left to be done, no potions left to brew.  All she had to do was wait.  Hermione was not known for her patience.  By lunchtime on the first of the two days she had had enough.  

"Severus?" she asked.  He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing anything?" At this, he sat up and looked at her properly.  "Not anymore," was his wry response.  

"I'm sorry.  I'll let you get back to examining the décor."  Hermione rolled her eyes at him, and he actually cracked a smile.  

"I think I've seen enough of the décor," He told her, still smiling.  "Come." He patted the bed next to him gently, making his command seem more of an invitation.  Hermione obliged, and leaned up against him.  "I've had enough," she said.  "I want to go home."

"I just want to get back to Hogwarts.  I've had enough of this whole business.  But… look, Hermione.  There isn't any hope.  Unless our side attacks the castle, we're going to be here for a while.  And they don't even know where we are."

"For all we know." Hermione said hopefully, really believing in what she was saying.  Then she remembered that they were getting out, and not letting anything slip to Voldemort was crucial.  "Mixed blessing," she said.  "Much as I want to get home, at least here we can keep this," and she leaned up to hiss him before saying, "open.  At Hogwarts, well, that's not going to happen."

"I guess that's true," Severus said softly.  "However, there are ways…" He trailed off, looking rather smug.  Hermione sat up quickly.  

"What?  How?  Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"I wasn't sure this was real, earlier," Severus said softly.  "I had thought… perhaps… that you would change your mind."

"I haven't, and I won't."  Hermione said softly.  "This… is more important to me than anything before in my life."

"It is the same for me.  That's why I was afraid to accept you.  Accept us.  I didn't want the risk of losing you, once I had you."

"I…" Hermione had to reply to that.  "You won't lose me," she promised at last.  "Not ever.  I know you think I'm young… I know I'm young, eighteen is young.  But my age doesn't change anything.  But tell me; how will we be able to have our relationship open?"

"How long have we been here?  A month?"

"Something like that.  I think school started last week.  I've missed so much!"

"That's just it.  You haven't.  Tell me, have you been to a lesson in the past year when you haven't already known everything that your professors told you?"

"Potions," Hermione said, smiling at him.

"Excluding Potions?" He asked, smiling back.

"No," she admitted.  

"Well, let me tell you that you're certainly not behind in Potions.  You have learned more with me here than you would have done in a month at University."

"Really?" Hermione asked, excited.  "That means I'll be ahead when I go, and so I can probably take an extra subject, and-"

"Hermione."

"Oh, right."

"So you're obviously ahead of all your classmates by quite a way.  Tell me, what have we been doing in the afternoons since we've been here?"

"Keeping up with my studies." Hermione told him, still not understanding.

"No," he told her.  "We've been going ahead.  And now, I'm quite certain that you know enough to pass not only your NEWTs, but also higher level papers in Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration."

"But I can't take them, surely.  I mean, you take them at the end of your first year at University."

"Traditionally.  You can, however, take the exams at Hogwarts, and be able to go straight to your second University year.  Of course, if you take them there won't be an issue with university acceptance.  Anybody capable of taking those exams a year early without a university education is welcome anywhere."

For once, Hermione was speechless.  Severus seemed to be enjoying himself.  

"Those exams need to be taken in a month's time.  By then, I would assume we will have been found.  Results come the week after.  I doubt that you will be required to attend classes after having passed those papers."

"But… there would still be six months of school left," Hermione finally managed, still shocked.

"Tell me," Severus said, "What would you want to study in university?"

"Charms and Potions,' Hermione said without thinking.  

"Which would you take your Master's degree in?"

"Potions," Hermione answered.

"And your thesis for the written part of the Master's examination?"

"How charms can effect and strengthen potions, focusing on defensive, medicinal, and sensory potions," Hermione said slowly.

"So you already know exactly what you plan on doing.  Now, let me tell you a few things.  I am one of the twenty Potions Masters in the country.  Your professor Flitwick was previously a charms lecturer at EMU, and Hogwarts has one of the most extensive magical libraries in the country.  I have my own personal library of Potions texts.  And aside from all of that, I believe that you must be apprenticed to a Potions Master for six months before you are considered qualified to take the examinations for your Master's degree."

"Um… wow." Hermione sat still for a moment, soaking in the full implications of what Severus had told her.  Then she threw herself at him, kissing and hugging.


	4. Downfall

**A/N This is my last chapter.  I want to say thanks again for everyone's reviews, and I'm glad you don't think their relationship was too rushed.  I hope it's not really OOC, either.  And thanks also to people who have read this fic even though they think the pairing is wrong… being open-minded is a virtue!  Here's my last chapter… PLEASE R/R!**

**~Stef**

At long last, the day they had been waiting for came.  Severus woke Hermione up at half past seven.  Without a word, she dressed, used the toilet, and washed her face.  Severus, meanwhile, got the Floo powder and double-checked the potion that would hopefully lead to Voldemort's downfall.  They had made a few little changes to the plan over the last few days.  It was more dangerous for the two of them, but it also covered them so that, should the plan not work, Hermione would still have her necklace of potions and some of the Floo powder.  

"Ready?" Severus mouthed at Hermione.  She nodded her head, determined.  It was now or never.  She took off of her necklace one of her two vials of stunning potion and the only vial of Polyjuice that she had, and handed the to Severus.  They grew as she gave them to him.  Severus nodded, smiled, and then kissed her one last time.  "For luck," he whispered, and then strode to the door.

He knocked, loudly, and a guard's voice came through.  "What do you want?"

"There is something you need to see immediately.  Come in at once." Severus commanded.

The door opened, and a wizard wearing a hood entered.  "What is it?" He asked suspiciously.  

"It's over here.  No, not just you, Phillips.  I know there are two of you guarding the door.  You _both_ need to see this."  Their guard was obviously wary and curious at the same time.  

"Andrews!  Come in here!" Their guard called out at last.  A second wizard entered.  

"Over here." Snape said coldly, and led the way to a corner of the room.  They walked around Hermione, ignoring her completely.  Hermione smiled.  _Stupid_, she thought; n_ever underestimate the power of Hogwarts' Head Girl._

Then, summoning her resolve, she said, "_Stupefy!_" Andrews fell to the floor.  Severus whirled, and threw the stunning potion at Phillips, who fell to the floor instantly.  Almost a blur, he immediately ran to the man he had frozen, pulled down his hood, plucked three hairs, and added it to the Polyjuice potion, which he drank.  

Hermione, realising that it would take twenty or so seconds for the Polyjuice to work, immediately started whimpering.  Then, "Oh God, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry.  Please don't kill us!  It… it was… it…" That gave Severus the time he needed.  He had transformed into the deatheater.

"Stupid girl!  What were you thinking?  You thought to overpower Death Eaters?"  He was doing a good job of acting like Phillips, Hermione thought, arrogant and over confident.  

"I… I…" she pretended to be lost for words.

"_Stupefy!"_ Snape said.  Without a wand, it was obviously not effective.  "That takes care of the man.  Now you, girl.  You're coming with me.  We're going straight to the Dark Lord.  _Enervate_."  As Hermione whimpered, Severus addressed thin air once more.  "Got caught by a girl?  Stupid.  The Dark Lord will _not_ be pleased with you, Andrews.  Guard this door, in case the man wakes up!"

With that, Severus took Hermione by the hands, gently despite appearances, and led her out.  Hermione continued to whimper.

As soon as they were outside with the door closed and locked, they broke into a quick walking pace.  Down the corridor, and they stopped at the first door.  No fireplace.  In the second room.  Still no fireplace.  Finally, at the third, there was a fireplace.  No fire.  

Severus ran in, Hermione running behind him now.  She conjured up some wood, and then set fire to it.  This had taken only seconds, but she was paranoid now. What if Voldemort suspected something?  What if there were Deatheaters on their trail?  

Severus had put Floo powder into the fire now.  He motioned for her to precede him.  She stepped in, and as she said, "Professor Dumbledore's office," she wondered what would happen if this fireplace wasn't connected to the Floo network.

Luckily for them, it was.  She fell out of the fireplace, and Snape fell on top of her seconds later.  Dumbledore was behind his desk, talking to McGonagall.  They both stood up, too shocked to speak, as Hermione and Severus slowly rose to their feet.  Gently but quickly, Snape took Hermione's wand from her hand, and removed the listening spell that was on her.  He gave the wand back, and said, "Albus?  There's quite a lot that needs to be said."

Professor Dumbledore looked, for the first time ever in Hermione's eyes, completely flabbergasted.  Professor McGonagall looked ready to faint.  "You're safe!" she cried.  "Safe!  We were… we were discussing… we thought you had died!"  She burst into tears and hugged Hermione.  Severus looked amused.  

"Headmaster, we need to discuss this now.  If our plan works, this could be the end of Voldemort." Severus said firmly. 

"Why… why of course.  Tell me, what happened and how did you get out?"

McGonagall finally let go of Hermione, and they both took seats in front of Dumbledore's desk.

Hermione and Severus took turns explaining the events of the last couple of weeks.  "We brewed a large batch of defective vampire cure for him, and batches of smaller inconsequential potions.  While we were doing that, we brewed some Floo Potion, which we then evaporated to make Floo Powder."

"Once we had that, we were pretty much ready to go.  I had my wand, so I cast a stupefy on one of the guards," Hermione said.

"While I threw some stunning potion on another, and took Polyjuice to turn myself into him.  We pretended that the second guard stunned me and took Hermione to Voldemort, and then we ran to the nearest fireplace and Flooed out." Severus finished.

"I see."  Dumbledore was relatively calm.  McGonagall was trying to appear so, but failing.  "You did extremely well, both of you.  But tell me, how does this lead to the downfall of Voldemort?"  

"We left a potion brewing in the room we were held prisoner in.  It is a simple energy potion, but when Voldemort enters the room ingredients will be added which give off fumes that will render him unconscious for four hours.  It will also strip him of his powers, and any of his ongoing magic will cease.  That includes the apparition ban."

"Once Voldemort's out cold, we can Apparate in and kill him." Hermione's voice was nonchalant, as if murdering powerful dark wizards was a weekly occurrence.  

"That was the plan, yes." Severus said.  There was complete silence.  Both Dumbledore and McGonagall looked taken aback.  At last, Dumbledore broke into a grin.  "I don't know why I didn't see it before!" He said.  Snape raised an eyebrow at him while Hermione just stared.  "The two of you!  Of course!  It's perfect!"

"Um…" Hermione said, not sure what to say, or how to react.   Exactly how much had the headmaster read between the lines?"

Snape wasn't quite so subtle.  "What are you talking about?" he asked in irritation.

"You two!  Perfect partners in taking down Voldemort!  I should have seen it before, really, I must be losing my touch! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with the ministry.  I think a group of Aurors will be required when we storm Voldemort's stronghold, don't you?"  Humming to himself happily, he turned to take some Floo powder from a pot on the mantelpiece, and two seconds later he was gone.

"Well," said McGonagall, finally getting her voice back.  "This calls for… something."

"It does. We will need to prepare for this.  The death eaters won't go down without a fight, but this is our only chance to get rid of Voldemort.  There will be the Aurors, of course, but Fudge still won't accept that Voldemort's back, so we will have to make do with the few that Albus can persuade."

"Yes.  The teaching staff will all help, of course.  Perhaps we should enlist the seventh years too?"  Hermione seemed to have been forgotten.

"Yes, but volunteers only.  And there are a couple of students that I think it would be prudent to not tell the plan to.  Children of death eaters, for one.  Oh, but excluding Draco Malfoy."

Hermione felt she had to say something.  "Um, should I go?"

"No, no, of course not." Professor McGonagall said, looking at her.  "We will need our head girl for strategy.  Firstly, you'll need to speak with the head boy.  Oh, and the seventh years.  Perhaps Severus can give you a list of who you are _not _to speak with?"

"That can be arranged.  Come back to my quarters after this, if you will, Miss Granger."

The use of her name so formally startled Hermione, but she made no comments.  Of course it would be back to this.  At least for the moment.

"Yes, sir." She said, and was rewarded by the sudden closed look she saw on his face.  She felt certain that the more emotion this man felt, the less he showed.

"Good.  We don't have much time.  Minerva, gather the teachers and get them to dismiss their next classes for a meeting in the common room.  Her- Miss Granger, I will give you a list of students, and you will tell them to report to me in my office.  I shall then do my dark arts act, and take them to a dungeon with specific instructions to brew certain potions for the 'right cause.'" His lip twitched.  "Perhaps it would be fitting to lock them in there, Minerva?"

"I suppose so." She sighed.  "Even though it's all based on suspicion.  Perhaps a teacher can oversee them."  Then a gleam came to her eyes.  "I think Trelawny should be given that duty, as she will be of little use in the upcoming battle."

"Undoubtedly." Snape said, lip twitching slightly again.

"You've changed, Severus.  I think our Hermione has had a good effect on you.  You've nearly smiled a couple of times this meeting."  She grinned at the shocked potions master. "Well, I shall round up the teachers.  You do what you do."

"I will.  Come, Miss Granger!" He snapped, as if to prove her wrong.  Hermione barely suppressed a laugh as McGonagall winked at her, and she hurried to follow Snape from the office.

"Interfering woman," Snape scowled.

"You say that because she hit close to the mark.  Besides, she wasn't complaining.  It's nice to see her smile." Then Hermione added, teasingly, "I know."

"You haven't changed me," he said, almost petulantly.

"We've both changed.  What's responsible for it hardly matters, at this stage."

"Hmph."  Snape was in no mood to agree with anyone.

"Don't be grumpy.  We've escaped!  And we're bringing Voldemort down!  Why are you in such a bad mood?" She asked.

They were at his office now.  "_This _is why I'm in a bad mood!  I can't do _this_!" And at that he kissed her, roughly but passionately.  "_Instead _we're off to fight the most powerful dark wizard in centuries with nothing but a handful of teachers and students!"

"And some Aurors," Hermione reminded him.

"Not enough!  It's not nearly enough!  But no regrets.  Here's a list of the students I've been suspicious of for a while.  You'll notice Draco Malfoy is not on that list."

"Yes.  Um, why is that?"

"He has proven his allegiance to me." Snape said simply.  "I may tell you more later.  Right now, we have no time.  Get all the Seventh years.  Get the ones on the list to the dungeons with Trelawny brewing something, and the rest in the Great Hall."  Snape said, going into his 'professor' mode.

"Yes sir," Hermione responded quickly, and then ran to the teacher's lounge, where she knew there was a list of which students were attending which classes.  

The lounge was empty, and Hermione assumed McGonagall had already rounded up all the teachers that hadn't been teaching classes.  That was good; it meant less explaining.  

Luckily, Gryffindors and Slytherins had Potions together with the substitute in the dungeons, and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were having Charms on the first floor.  She considered herself lucky that they weren't all in electives and she walked quickly towards the Charms classroom.  Looking at the list, she noticed only one Ravenclaw on it, and none of the Hufflepuffs.  That would make things easier.

She knocked on the door to the classroom, and entered without waiting for an answer.  Snape had affected her – there was no time!  The class gasped when Hermione walked in, and she realised that they would think her still gone.  She wondered what Dumbledore had told the school, but it was too late now to say anything.  

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor Flitwick, but I needed to speak with Anna."

A girl with dark brown hair stood up, confusion written across her face.  "You need to come with me to the dungeons, there's a task that Professor Snape wants you to do." Hopefully, word wouldn't have gotten out of Snape being a traitor.  It was an embarrassment to Voldemort, and Hermione thought that his pride would have him keep the matter as private as possible.  Sure enough, Anna's eyes widened slightly, and she nodded, packing up her things.  Hermione went to Flitwick, and said, softly so that the class wouldn't hear,

"There's an emergency.  All seventh years and teachers are wanted in the Great Hall immediately.  Could you please take everyone there after Anna and I have gone to the dungeons?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Flitwick replied, asking no questions.  Hermione suddenly wondered if she'd given the man enough credit all along.  Perhaps there was more to him than the façade he put up.

Anna tapped her on the shoulder.  "We're going?"

"Yes, we are."  They left the classroom.

"So, you disappeared." Anna said.  "Where were you?"

"I was…" Hermione didn't know quite what to say, and then decided that a slightly edited truth would make this whole situation a lot more easy. "I don't think I should say, but… well, you're one of…" Hermione pointed to her own forearm, covered by her robes, and Anna nodded.  

"So _that's _where you were." She smirked.  "Friend to the boy wonder, and you did it?  I would never have thought… there's more to you than there appears, isn't there?"

Hermione laughed, feeling slightly sick.  Oh, there was a lot more.  And Anna a deatheater… she could barely believe it.  Then she had another idea.  "Professor Snape gave me a list, perhaps you could look at it?  I mean, in case more have joined since… we left."

"Oh, yes, sure." Anna said, taking the parchment from Hermione.  

"No, this is pretty up to date." She replied after a second.  "Except for Malfoy, of course.  He should be on there, the little suck-up.  He's wormed his way _right _into the inner circle, he has." Her look was contemptuous.  "So why were you gone so long?  Our master branded me and that was it." then she looked at Hermione knowingly.  "But then, your figure… yes, I do see.  Excuse me for not realising."

"That's… quite alright," Hermione replied, half-guessing what Anna was talking about, and not wanting to think about it.  "Snape wants potions brewed.  He says that there's something big coming up, although he won't tell me what.  He says sleeping draughts, stunning potions, and simple healing potions need to be brewed.

"Of course." Was Anna's response.  Then they arrived at the Potions classroom, and Hermione was extremely grateful.  Anna's calm attitude was unnerving her, especially since the girl actually seemed, well, nice!

Again, Hermione knocked on the door, and again she entered without waiting for an answer.  Gryffindors and Slytherins were inside.  Apparently, though, the lack of Professor Snape made them all rowdy, and the substitute, a short, flustered-looking man, had given up all attempts to calm them.  Hermione shouted, at the top of her voice, "_Shut up!_"  There was sudden, complete silence, and all heads whipped towards her.  She smirked.  She had always wanted to do that.

"So, the mud-blood's back." Draco said.  Harry and Ron were sitting there with amazed grins on their faces at the sight of her, and she gave them a small smile, not wanting to blow her cover.  

"I have a message from professor Snape.  The following students," and she read from the list, not speaking Malfoy's name, "Will go with Anna here to the room at the end of the hall."  Then she turned to Anna, "Can you oversee them while I speak to the sub?  Set up cauldrons and the like?  I need to take Malfoy to Snape, to clear him.  Trelawny should come to oversee you in a minute.  God knows why, but Snape wanted her specifically."

"Strange," Anna shrugged, and then said, "Right, follow me."  The young deatheaters (as Hermione assumed them to be) followed her out.  She noticed that they were all Slytherins, and not a single Gryffindor among them.  She smiled to herself, and looked at the people left.  Malfoy was there, looking at her suspiciously.  He didn't seem miss the large presences of Crabbe and Goyle beside him.  Harry and Ron were also looking at her strangely, but said nothing.

"There's a bit of a problem, and everyone's to go to the Great Hall immediately.  You too, professor."

"Ah, yes, right then.  Come on, class." He said, and glanced at her for a moment before walking out of the classroom, everyone in tow.  The students greeted her with "hi Hermione!"  and "Glad you're okay Hermione!" But didn't actually step out of line to wait with her.  They sensed the solemnity of the occasion.  Even Harry and Ron just quickly hugged her before continuing out the door.  At last, Malfoy was the only one left.

"Why wasn't my name on that list, mudblood?" He asked her.  Suddenly, Hermione had had enough.

"Cut the crap, Malfoy.  I've spent the last couple of weeks dealing with your Dad, I'm not about to start with you.  Snape's told me what side you're on.  Now, I need to get to the Great Hall, and you need to come too.  My _name_, by the way, is _Hermione_.  Not 'mudblood.'"

With that, she swept out, doing a pretty good Snape imitation.  Malfoy came running after her.  

"Snape… he told you?" Malfoy asked, shocked.

"All he told me was that you shouldn't be going with them, but with the rest of the school to the Great Hall, and that you've proved your allegiance to him.  I didn't ask more.  Frankly, there's no time.  The final battle's drawing near, and we need everyone we can get."

Malfoy still looked shocked.  "You trust me?"

"No, I don't.  But Snape does, and that's enough."

"Dad – told me what happened.  I, um… well, I thought you were still there.  This… what you've seen of me, isn't me."

Hermione wondered if he was trying to apologise.  "A civil Malfoy?  I never thought I'd see that day," she commented lightly.

"Well, I'm different to my dad.  And I did want to say sorry for calling you mudblood."

They were at the Great Hall now.  "Um… thanks, I guess."

He smirked.  "Shocked you, didn't I?  I play my character well."

"Yeah.  Acting an arrogant spoiled brat doesn't come hard to you, does it?"  Then she realised that perhaps she was being a bit harsh.  "Okay, sorry.  Truce?"

"Truce.  We need to go in."

"Yeah."  They walked in, to find that there was silence.  Everybody was looking at them, including all the teachers who were now gathered at the head table.

"Good, you've arrived," Dumbledore said.  "Miss Granger, will you please come to the front?  You too, Mr Malfoy."

Suddenly nervous, Hermione did as she had been told.  Once she was standing at the front, Dumbledore continued.

"Last term, Miss Granger and Professor Snape brewed a potion that cures vampires.  They tested it successfully, and, on the first day of the Christmas holidays, went to the ministry to register, test, and explain this new potion.  While there, they were kidnapped by Voldemort."  There were gasps of shock.  Hermione found it all too melodramatic, but said nothing.  Snape, standing beside her, was tense.  His lips were drawn into a thin line, and he was scowling out at their audience.  

"Very few people know, but Professor Snape has risked his life for the past twenty years as a deatheater spy for our side.  He has brought us countless pieces of vital information, while at the same time feeding incorrect information to Voldemort.  He has suffered the Cruciatus curse many times, dealing with pain and near-death experiences for the last twenty years to keep all of us safe.  Draco Malfoy, has done much the same thing to a lesser extent for the last two years.

The school seemed to be in shock.  There was not a whisper.  Dumbledore continued, "While kidnapped, Hermione and Severus were forced to brew potions for Voldemort, but managed, under extremely harsh and difficult situations, if I might add, to not only brew a Flue potion, from which they made Floo powder and escaped, but they also arranged it so that Voldemort will shortly fall unconscious, with a temporary loss of powers for the duration.  If all goes according to plan, he will fall and Apparation wards will be deactivated within the hour.  I want all of you to participate.  As seventh years, you will each do your duty to the school.  Very few of you will be allowed on the battlefield itself.  Most of you will be asked to care for the other students in the school or see to the wounded from the upcoming battle.  Any who feel qualified to assist in the battle itself must come to me immediately.  As for the rest of you, I suggest you go to Madame Pomfrey for last minute medi-wizardry training to supplement what you already know.  And now,"

"Dumbledore!" Snape said, from next Hermione suddenly.  "My mark is fading."

"As is mine," Malfoy said softly, but loud enough to be heard.

"It is time."  

The next fifteen minutes were a complete blur.  People were rushing everywhere, doing as Dumbledore commanding.  He looked regal, powerful, and very much the strong wizard that Voldemort feared.  He was no longer their eccentric headmaster, but a general, leading his troops off to battle.  At the end of those fifteen minutes, Hermione was standing between Ron and Malfoy (partly to keep them apart) around a plate that was to be used a portkey.  They would be backups, along with the other students going.  There were only twenty in all.  They and most of the teachers would cover all exits to the castle, while Severus, Dumbledore, Harry, and half of the Aurors would go in search of Voldemort.  The rest of the Aurors would scour the grounds and the passages inside the castle for deatheaters, with orders to stun or kill them.

After so much fear, worry, and panic, the results were anticlimactic.  For Hermione's part, she stood, covering one of the entrances with Malfoy, waiting for anyone to escape.  They stood there for what was probably half an hour, and then she was suddenly back at Hogwarts, along with the rest of the school.  Dumbledore explained that he had turned their Hogwarts robes into portkey, and had then said that Snape and Harry together had killed Voldemort.  Everyone was cheering, crying, laughing, and dancing, but Hermione saw Snape slink off out of the hall as soon as he possibly could.  

Looking at Harry and Ron, both of whom were completely surrounded by giggling girls, Hermione decided she wouldn't be missed.  She hurried after Snape.  He went, not surprisingly, in the direction of the dungeons, with Hermione scurrying after him.  Then he stopped in front of the door with the 'young deatheaters' and Hermione realised that, in the confusion, everybody had forgotten all about them.  Before Snape could open the door, she caught up with him and laid a hand on his shoulder.  

He must not have heard her coming, because he jumped and whirled around, and then rolled his eyes and smiled slightly when he saw Hermione.

"You followed me?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes," she replied, unabashed.

"This might be… quite dangerous."

"I know.  Can I come in with you?"

"I would rather you didn't."

"Can I anyway?" 

Snape smiled wryly.  "I would rather not face the consequences of stopping you, truth be told.  But follow my lead, if you please."

"Of course." Snape took his wand out, and Hermione did the same.  Then he opened the door, Hermione close on his heels.  

Anna immediately stood.  "What happened?" she asked.  They were all in there, although not brewing potions.  They had apparently run out of details, and Trelawny was getting quite agitated trying to explain to them why they couldn't leave to get more.  

"Before I answer that question in full, I want all of the complete potions bottled up.  After I tell you what has happened, there will be much celebration and I doubt that this will be bottled."

"Yes sir," Anna replied.  She seemed to be the spokesperson for the room.  Strangely, though, her face was carefully blank at the 'good' news, although most of the rest of the room were grinning and cheering.  

"Bottle it _all_," Snape said to everyone.  They began doing so, while Snape, Hermione, and Trelawny stood to the side.  

"What happened?" Trelawny whispered.  

"You don't already know?" Snape asked in mock surprise.

"I do!" she said crossly, "I just want verification."  

"Of course.  Voldemort is dead." Snape said, very, very softly.

"Good!" Trelawny broke into a grin.  

"Yes, it is.  Now, when I do this, _don't breathe it_."  The last was addressed to Hermione and Trelawny alone, and they both nodded.  All the potions were bottled, now, and everybody was looking at Snape expectantly.

From a pocket of his robes, Snape took a glass bottle full of pale liquid.

"Do you see what this is?" He asked, letting his soft voice carry through the entire room.  There were nods of assent.  "Then watch."  With a graceful movement, Snape flung the bottle to the ceiling.  Hermione realised instantly, and held her breath.  Within seconds, the entire room was on the floor, except Snape and Hermione.  Snape opened the door, holding it for Hermione, who ran through.  Snape followed.  Trelawny didn't.  She was asleep on the floor.  Snape slammed the door shut, and turned to Hermione.

"She didn't listen," he said, smiling.

"Nope." Hermione laughed.  

"So, what do we do with them?"

"We clear up the mess.  Firstly, we suck the fumes out," and he proceeded to do just that.  With his wand in the door's keyhole, he muttered something that sounded vaguely like 'oxygen,' and then waited a moment.  Then he opened the door cautiously, and stepped in.  A moment later, he called out to Hermione, "You can come in.  It's safe."

Hermione entered cautiously.  "Okay, what now?"

"We take their wands off them."  Snape moved to the first person, who happened to be Crabbe, and went through his pockets, trying to find his wand.  Hermione laughed. 

"Severus?" She said, smiling.

"Yes?" he asked warily.  He had become used to that smile.  

"_Accio Wands_!" She said, and all the wands in the room flew towards her hand.

"Show-off," Severus muttered.  "Now, my wand, if you please?"

"But- didn't Voldemort keep your wand?"

"Yes, but I got it back."

"Oh."  

"So may I have it back?"

"Um, which one is it?" Both of her hands were filled with wands from the people in the room.

"That one," and he took his wand from her grip.  "Thankyou."

"Um, you're welcome."

"Now, we deal with these people.  Why don't you put the wands over there," he gestured to a bench.  "And perhaps we should leave her asleep?"

"Yes!" Hermione said.  "Please."  Severus smiled.

They tied each of the deatheaters up in ropes so that they could not escape, and then left them lying on the floor.  Since they should not wake until the next afternoon, Hermione and Snape left, forgetting Trelawny where she lay on the floor.

Severus walked deeper into the dungeons, and Hermione followed, unsure as to where they were going, but not wanting to separate herself from Severus just yet.

They ended up at his chambers, and Severus motioned for Hermione to precede him.  She did, and sat immediately on one of his couches in front of the fireplace.  Severus actually lit the fire, which Hermione suspected was not lit often, and then he sat on the couch next to Hermione.

"So." Hermione said.  The results of the day were just beginning to catch up with her.  "I can barely believe that this morning we were in Voldemort's castle.  Now we're here, and he's gone, and… it doesn't seem real."

"No, it doesn't." 

"Are you sure… I mean, will he come back again, like last time?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"No.  Last time he had drank many potions and performed many rituals for his immortality.  When his body died, his soul lived on, but lost its immortality, because that was rooted in his body.  He didn't renew everything in his new body, so this time he really died."

"What happened in the castle?"

"Oh, it was simple, really.  We walked in, found the room with Voldemort pretty quickly, and he was on the floor in there surrounded by all of his deatheaters.  It was anticlimactic, really – too easy to be believed.  They were all there, though.  All except the Hogwarts ones."

"So you killed them?"

"Yes." Snape's face was closed. "We didn't have a choice.  They were all unwavering in their loyalty to Voldemort.  We had to kill all of them before we got to Voldemort himself.  They all thought they couldn't Apparate, and they wouldn't escape without taking Voldemort with them.  I assume they thought him immortal, and didn't want to be punished when he came back to life."

"Wow.  It's… pretty unbelievable."

"It is."  

They sat in silence for a while.  Then Hermione said, "So what happens now?"

"With Voldemort, with your schooling, or with us?"

"Well, all of them, I guess."

"Voldemort's finished.  There will be countless interviews, mainly with the two of us, and Potter, and then everything will die down. The wizarding world will forget Voldemort even existed, except in textbooks."

"Human nature." Hermione smiled bitterly.  "Can't be changed."

"Not on the mass scale, no," Severus admitted.  "Now, your schooling?"

"I guess we speak with Dumbledore in a couple of days."

"I'll approach him on the subject tomorrow."

"Thankyou, Severus."

"You're welcome, of course."

"I guess the rest will sort itself out?"

"It will.  It always does."


End file.
